Forum to map out new commitments in Sino-African relationship

Nov 8, 2009, 8:14 GMT

Cairo- China's Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday announced renewed commitments to African nations at a high-level meeting with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and other African leaders in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

'I came to Sharm el-Sheikh to boost friendship between our country and the African continent,' Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told participants of the fourth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China- Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The FOCAC meeting, opened by the Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak, will follow up on the recommendations of the Beijing Summit and see if it has been implemented.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who is accompanying Wen, earlier told the official Xinhua news agency that steps agreed to at the last FOCAC in Beijing in 2006 had been implemented smoothly.

These included commitments by China to double its 2006 assistance to Africa by 2009, to provide 3 billion dollars of preferential loans and 2 billion dollars of preferential buyer's credits to Africa, to establish a special fund of 5 billion dollars to encourage Chinese investment in Africa, and to cancel some debts.

En route to Cairo, Premier Wen Jiabao responded to claims that China is exploiting African nations in order to fulfil its own needs for energy and resources.

'Energy is never the main part of our cooperation with Africa. What China expects is comprehensive cooperation of mutual benefits,' the China Daily quoted Wen as saying.

During his visit, Wen was also able to further enhance cooperation with Egypt.

   Following his meetings with Mubarak and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, Wen, accompanied by senior officials and businessmen signed of a number of bilateral economic and cultural agreements.

During his visit to the 22-member Cairo-based Arab League, Wen reflected his country's hopes to enhance cooperation with the Arab countries.

'Under the current international political and economic circumstances with its deep and complicated changes, it is in the interests of both China and the Arab countries to enhance cooperation,' the Chinese premier said in his speech.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa expressed his gratitude to China for its support to the Arab causes.

He hoped that the Arab League would cooperate with China in all fields to promote the Arab-China Cooperation Forum and to promote world peace, regional stability and development.