Premier Li Keqiang called on China and Africa on Tuesday to improve the quantity and quality of cooperation at the local level and enhance exchanges of experience in areas like urban governance, poverty alleviation and agricultural modernization.

Li made the remarks when addressing the 4th Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation via video link.

China and Africa have been supporting and helping each other and have forged an unbreakable friendship, the premier said.

He called on China and Africa to sincerely treat each other on an equal footing, enhance solidarity and mutual trust and seek inclusive and sustainable development.

The two sides should also expand practical cooperation to draw a bright future for the 2.7 billion people from China and Africa, Li said.

China is ready to provide more vaccines and anti-pandemic supplies within its capabilities to meet the needs of Africa so as to jointly safeguard people's health, he said.

Li said that China and Africa should deepen the alignment of their development strategies and further take advantage of complementarity in economy and cohesion in industry in order to raise the quality and efficiency of pragmatic cooperation.

The premier also called on China and Africa to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, jointly uphold multilateralism and support each other on issues relating to their core interests and major concerns.

He said that China and Africa should advance cooperation between sister cities.

Exchanges between people from China and Africa lay at the foundation of bilateral cooperation, Li said, adding that closer cooperation at the local level will consolidate bilateral cooperation and friendship.

With joint efforts, local government cooperation has bright prospects, he added.

The forum was held online and offline in Beijing and was attended by around 300 participants, including African political officials and heads of local governments and institutions from China and Africa.