Reporter's log: Behind-the-scene look at Xi's meeting with African leaders

I had been wondering how Chinese President Xi Jinping managed to meet and talk with 10 of his African counterparts in an afternoon when I first learned of his agenda for Thursday.

A group meeting, like Friday's "working breakfast" with 13 other African heads of state, was much easier. After all, logistical arrangements for one-on-one talks involve much more meticulous planning.

As it turned out, Cameroon President Paul Biya, who was reportedly on an initial list for the marathon bilateral meetings, didn't make it to the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg till the last minute.

The meeting venue, to be exact, was at the centre's Committee Room 4 on the fourth floor. Starting at 3 pm, President Xi would be meeting each African president for quarter of an hour, ahead of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation that opened on Friday.

Outside the long meeting room, two national flags stood together near the wall. One was a Chinese red flag, and the other a colorful African flag. An observant reporter could tell exactly who would be the next to meet Xi. The African presidents would wait in a nearby Committee room.

Each time before a meeting, Xi walked out of the Committee Room 4 to greet his African counterpart, and stood before the flags for a picture.

There were signs – a big red dot and an asterisk, pasted on the floor to indicate where Xi and his guest should stand for the handshaking session.

As the flags on the left side of the red flag kept changing, I asked Vikwa Phumeza, a young government staffer at the scene, how many flags she could identify.

"China's red flag, of course," she said loudly, then lowered to a whisper in confession that she could only recognize "a very few" of the bewildering ranges of the national flags in Africa.

Worse, she said she could only name a dozen of the countries out of the continent's 60 members.

Except for Nelson Mandela, she knew about only Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

"He is blessed to grow to that senior age" was her impression of the nonagenarian.

Inside the room, it was a different picture.

President Xi, on his second trip to Africa since he took office in 2013, seemed to know each and every one of his guests and remember them well.

He remembered when his guests visited China, where they had last met, and on what occasions any African nation had offered special help to his country.

When his Gabonese counterpart, Ali Bongo Ondimba, and his team sat down across from him, Xi immediately noted that not only Ali Bongo, but his father, Omar Bongo Ondimba, are old and good friends of Chinese people.

They are staunch supporters and facilitators of bilateral relations, Xi added.

In return, Ali Bongo told Xi he has regarded China as an "old friend" and a "reliable partner" of Gabon.

In his meeting with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, President Xi thanked him in person.

The country in the Horn of Africa provided assistance to Chinese fleets conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somalia waters, and helped with the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Yemen earlier this year.

"China is ready to promote pragmatic cooperation with Djibouti in various areas and jointly set a good example for developing countries seeking win-win cooperation and common progress," Xi told his Djibouti counterpart.

There was also a moment of solemn and sadness. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, upon entering the room, expressed his deep condolences for the three Chinese killed in a hotel attack in Mali's capital in November. He hailed the trio's help in his country's development.

Xi strongly condemned the brutality that caused serious casualties including the three Chinese citizens. He told the Malian president that China would work together with Mali and the international community to safeguard world peace.

A rest of about five minutes was planned for the intervals of the meetings, but they seemed to have been taken up by prolonged talks between the presidents.

The size of the African team led by a president to meet Xi varied considerably each time. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, for example, had only four people in his group.

In contrast, Xi's entourage at the meeting room seemed large and consistent in size throughout the meetings.

These officials, including China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi, top planner Xu Shaoshi, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, had been listening and making notes when Xi and one of the nine African presidents talked.

It was perhaps, an indication that the world's second largest economy is ready to listen and react to the woes and wonders of the world's least developed continent.

Contact the writer at zhaohuanxin@chinadaily.com.cn