The young African attending the first China-Africa Youth Festival visited the Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province Thursday, as part of the festival's activities.

The Shaolin Temple, with a history of more than 1,500 years old, is the birthplace of Shaolin Kong Fu, a major school of the Chinese martial arts. The African youth all showed great interest in the Shaolin martial arts and the Chinese culture after seeing the performance.

Shaolin martial arts, part of Chinese traditional culture, is very precious and has been passed on from generation to generation, Kidega Daniel Fred from Uganda said. "What amazes me most is their spirit of concentration and the internal sense of power," he added.

Fred said the Shaolin martial arts are not only good for health and self-defense, and its performances are also very good economic activities.

"Therefore, I am going to encourage all African people to learn this," he said.

Tsega Asghedom from Eritrea also found the Shaolin martial arts wonderful and exciting, saying she used to see Chinese martial arts performances on television at home. But she never believed that they were true until she saw them with her own eyes.

Asghedom said China is a beautiful place. Chinese people are very proud of their culture and know how to protect their culture. She hoped that more Eritrea people will come to China to strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between China and Africa.

The Chinese and African young people left Beijing Wednesday and was divided into two groups for visiting Henan and central China's Hubei province, respectively. They will gather again in south China's Guangdong province for a closing ceremony.

The China-Africa Youth Festival was initiated by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the second China-Africa Cooperation Forum held in Ethiopia in December 2003.

(Xinhua News Agency  August 28, 2004)