China and African countries need to enhance cooperation in consular affairs, said Assistant Foreign Minister Shen Guofang in Beijing Monday.

Shen said in a China-Africa seminar on consular affairs that China and Africa, in recent years, have enjoyed growing cooperation, frequent personnel exchanges, and rapid development in consular relations.

China has established nine consular agencies in six African countries, namely, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Cameroon and Madagascar. African countries set up more than 30 consular and honorary consular agencies on the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, Shen noted.

The China-Africa bilateral trade volume reached US$29.46 billion last year, with China's assistance and investment to Africa constantly increasing, he said, noting that 12 African nations have become tourism destination countries for Chinese travelers, and more and more African people come to China to visit, study, do business, and travel.

"It is necessary for China and Africa to promote cooperation in consular affairs," Shen said.

During the three-day seminar, starting on Monday, 45 representatives from 43 African nations will exchange views with the Chinese on the management and protection of consular affairs, and discuss ways to enhance China-Africa cooperation on consular affairs.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2005)