China to increase aid to Africa under cooperation forum framework: Premier

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 15, 2003

China to increase aid to Africa under cooperation forum framework: Premier

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In order to facilitate pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa, the Chinese government will gradually increase its aid to Africa under the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday.

Wen made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Second Ministerial Conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

China will further open its market, and grant duty-free market access for some of the commodities from the least developed countries in Africa, Wen noted.

Wen said "We will increase our capital investment to the African Human Resources Development Fund by 33 percent, and provide professional training of various kinds to 10,000 African personnel in the next three years."

China will encourage and facilitate mutually beneficial cooperation between Chinese and African enterprises, and encourageChinese enterprises to invest in Africa, according to Wen.

"To step up our tourism cooperation with Africa, China will grant eight more African countries the status of approved destination for outbound Chinese tourists," Wen announced.

"We propose to stage a "China-Africa Youth Festival" and grand Africa-themed cultural exchange activities in China next year. We will vigorously cooperate with African countries in the preventionand treatment of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, in the prevention of natural disasters and inenvironmental protection," Wen added.

Wen's host counterpart Meles Zenawi and a dozen of African heads of state or government attended the opening ceremony of the second ministerial conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, also present are Chinese and African foreign ministers and ministers in charge of international economic cooperation.

Highlighted by the action-oriented spirit, it is the first ministerial conference of the forum to be held on the African continent, and will be a significant event in the Sino-African relationship.

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