Over a long time, China has consistently provided African countries with assistance to the best of its capacity without any political condition, in an effort to help our brotherly African people get out of difficulties and realize economic and social development.

To encourage and support Chinese enterprises to go to Africa for investment and cooperation, the Chinese government has taken various measures including setting aside special funds and providing concessional loans.

The two-way trade between China and Africa reached US$12.389 billion in 2002, growing 7 times from the 1991 figure of US$1.44 billion. The import on the Chinese side accounted for US$5.427 billion and its export was US$6.962 billion.

In line with its commitment made at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation ---Ministerial Conference Beijing 2000, China has cancelled RMB 10.5 billion of debt of 31 least developed African countries.

China-Africa trade and economic cooperation are fruitful and promising. In line with the principle of equality and mutual benefit, diversity in form and content, emphasis on practical results and pursuit of common progress, China will continue to work with African countries to explore new approaches in developing China-Africa economic cooperation and trade under the new circumstances.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2006)