The eight measures that China's government pledged to help
promote the development of Africa have been implemented smoothly,
Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister ZhaiJun said in Beijing on
Tuesday.
China had provided assistance to 47 African countries and signed
agreements with 15 countries to provide preferential loans, Zhai
said in an online interview with Xinhuanet.com.
The foundation had been laid for building the conference center
for the African Union and construction would start next year, and a
China-Africa development fund is operating, he said.
China is working to establish trade and economic cooperation
zones in Zambia, Mauritius and Nigeria and had trained 5,000
personnel in various fields for African countries, he said.
China has sent 75 youth volunteers to Africa and increased the
number of Chinese government scholarships to African students from
2,000 up to 2,700, Zhai said.
Preparation for building hospitals, agricultural technology
demonstration centers and malaria prevention and treatment centers
is in progress, he added.
These measures were announced by Chinese President Hu Jintao
during last year's Beijing Summit. The aid effort includes a
package of major assistance, investment, trade and other key
cooperation projects with Africa in an effort to forge a new type
of strategic partnership and strengthen cooperation in more areas
and at a higher level.
Zhai said China will work closely with African countries to
earnestly and steadily fulfill the eight measures so as to benefit
African countries and their people.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2007)
