source:English.news.cn 2012-07-16 17:26:36

ADDIS ABABA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- "I think Africa should be united on the issues of its relations with China or any other cooperating partner,"

Zambian Foreign Minister Given Lubinda said in an interview with Xinhua here on Sunday.

Asked about the upcoming fifth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled for July 19-20 in Beijing,

Lubinda said the meeting should be geared at uniting Africa so as to avoid direct competition among African countries for China's attention and lead to expanded trade relations.

"I'm hoping there would be space for Africans to speak together before going into the forum so that we avoid the intercontinental competition for relations with China," he said.

The Zambian minister is representing Zambian President Michael Sata to attend the African Union (AU) leaders' meeting in Addis Ababa.

He confirmed that the Zambian president will be attending the fifth ministerial meeting of FOCAC in Beijing.

"I am hoping the African countries that go to FOCAC will present an African Agenda, and not myopic specific country agenda. I think we must go there united to bring development to the whole of the continent. Whatever efforts we put in must be toward integrating Africa," Lubinda said.

He also said that the China-Africa friendship should not only be economic but also cultural.

The relationship faces barriers such as language and cultural difference, but hurdles could be sorted out, he said.