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By Yu Wensheng

Following his state visit to the United States, President Hu Jintao began a four-nation tour in Asia and Africa on Saturday to visit Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya.

By visiting the United States and four Asian and African countries on one tour, the arrangement is in itself a message to the rest of the world: China attaches considerable importance to relations with developed countries such as the United States; however, as the largest developing country in the world, it also takes the strengthening and development of traditional friendly ties and co-operation with developing nations as a major part of its diplomatic policies. China seeks to "make as many new friends as possible, without sacrificing its close relations with old ones."

President Hu's visit to these four Asian and African developing countries is aimed at reinforcing traditional ties with old friends and discussing with them new areas, ways and subjects of co-operation against the changing international backdrop in a bid to inject new energy into South-South co-operation.

This year happens to be the 50th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and African countries. On May 30, 1956, China established diplomatic relations with Egypt at ambassadorial level, kick-starting its drive to forge diplomatic ties with African countries. Now China maintains diplomatic relations with 47 African countries. Over the past 50 years, China and African nations have backed and helped each other and seen their friendly co-operation expand and flourish into an all-weather friendship.

The Chinese Government and top leaders have always given full attention to Africa and its relations with African nations, as shown in their many visits to the continent over the years. The late Premier Zhou Enlai visited Africa three times from 1963 to 1965, including a tour of 10 countries from December 1963 to February 1964.

He also brought up the five principles for China's relations with African nations and the eight principles for Chinese aid for foreign countries. His visits have remained a fond memory for those African nations ever since.

In 1996, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin tabled the five-point proposal on maintaining friendly relations of lasting stability and broad co-operation between China and Africa with an eye on the 21st century, namely "sincere friendship, treat each other as equals, unity and co-operation, joint development and look to the future."

Since the beginning of the new century, the friendly co-operative relationship between China and Africa has entered a new phase of all-round co-operation. China's new generation of collective leadership remains highly attentive to developing the country's relations with African nations. Top Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, paid several visits to the continent. At the same time, Chinese leaders continued to explore new fields and ways to develop Sino-African co-operation.
 
In February 2004, President Hu Jintao raised a three-point proposal during his first African trip as China's head of State: "maintain traditional friendship and push for new development of Sino-African relations; maintain mutual assistance and benefit and promote common prosperity for China and Africa; maintain close co-operation and protect the interests of developing nations."

At the Asian-African Summit in April 2005, President Hu proposed four principles for constructing a new strategic partnership between Asia and Africa: "Respect and support each other in politics, complement each other for common success in economics, learn from each other's strong points in culture, and maintain mutual trust, dialogue and co-ordination in security."

In September of the same year, President Hu announced five measures that China would take to help other developing countries speed up their development at the high-level meeting on development and finance during the summit to mark the 60th anniversary of the United Nations.

In January, the Chinese Government announced the direction and targets of the country's African policies for the new century in "China's African Policies." This autumn, China will host the China-Africa Co-operation Forum in Beijing, combined with the third ministerial meeting, where Chinese and African leaders will gather to jointly hammer out the general blueprint for a new strategic partnership between China and Africa characterized by political equality and mutual trust, economic co-operation, mutual benefit and common success, and learning from each other's cultural achievements.

President Hu's latest visit to Africa can be seen as another major step along the path paved by his predecessors that will point the way for future development. On this trip the Chinese head of State will exchange ideas and hold face-to-face discussions with the leaders of his host nations on bilateral as well as China-Africa ties, in addition to jointly planning the future of Sino-African relations. They will also make preparations for a fruitful "Asia-Africa Co-operation Forum" and Beijing Summit later this year.

President Hu's first stop on his four-nation tour of Asia and Africa is Saudi Arabia, a big country in the Arabic and Islamic community wielding considerable influence in the Middle East, the Gulf region and the Muslim world. Bilateral ties between China and Saudi Arabia have developed smoothly since they established diplomatic relations in 1990. After succeeding the throne in January this year, King Abdullah chose China as the first foreign country to visit in his new capacity. During his China trip, King Abdullah and President Hu reached an important common understanding on forging a friendly strategic and co-operative relationship between the two countries.

President Hu's current visit to Saudi Arabia is a reciprocal gesture to King Abdullah's earlier visit. It is the first time in the history of bilateral relations that the two nations' heads of State went to each other's country within only a few months.

Saudi Arabia is the largest oil supplier to China and the nation's top trading partner in the Middle East, with the value of their bilateral trade reaching US$16 billion last year.

This is President Hu's first visit to Saudi Arabia, where he is scheduled to speak to the Saudi Consultative Conference in addition to holding talks with King Abdullah and meeting with Crown Prince Sultan, who is also deputy prime minister. He will spell out China's policies and ideas on developing relations with Arab nations in the new century.

The second stop of his four-nation trip will be Morocco, which is an African and Arab nation with significant influence over regional affairs. The two countries and their peoples enjoy a very long history of friendly relations. Morocco is the second African country to have established diplomatic ties with China.

Bilateral relations between the two countries have developed smoothly since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1958, with frequent reciprocal visits by top state leaders including such key government figures as the late Premier Zhou Enlai, former President Jiang Zemin, former Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) Li Ruihuan, former Premier Zhu Rongji and current NPCSC Chairman Wu Bangguo on the Chinese side. King Mohamed VI visited China in 2002.

Co-operation in various fields between China and Morocco has achieved excellent results over the years. And in recent years, the two countries have seen their mutually beneficial co-operation in economy and trade develop at a relatively fast pace, with their 2005 bilateral trade value approaching US$1.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 28 percent.

China and Morocco have also kept admirable communication and co-ordination over international affairs as well as those related to the China-Africa Forum and the China-Arabic Forum.

President Hu's is the first visit to Morocco by a top Chinese leader in the new century. He will hold talks with King Mohamed VI during the visit, while some government departments of both countries will sign several agreements concerning co-operation on trade, culture, medicine and health.

The third stop on President Hu's four-nation trip will be Nigeria, a major African country with an important role in African and international affairs. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971, China and Nigeria have also enjoyed smooth development of their bilateral ties, gaining pace in recent years. In April last year, during his visit to China, Nigerian President Obasanjo and Chinese President Hu reached a consensus on forming a strategic partnership characterized by political mutual trust, economic mutual benefit and mutual assistance in international affairs.

Nigeria became an important African oil supplier to, and the third largest African trading partner of, China in 2005, when bilateral trade value totaled US$2.83 billion, representing an increase of 29.6 percent from a year earlier. The two countries have also conducted fruitful co-operation in such regional and international efforts as counter-terrorism and peace-keeping missions.

President Hu's visit to Nigeria coincides with the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. During his stay, President Hu will have talks with President Obasanjo, meet with leaders of both the Senate and House of Representatives of Nigeria's National Assembly and deliver a speech to the lawmakers that will present his take on China-Africa relations and China's African policies.

The last stop on his latest foreign trip will be the East African nation of Kenya, with which China has had direct contact since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). In the 15th century, the enormous Chinese fleet commanded by Admiral Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty reached several coastal towns of Kenya during one of his seven great voyages. Local tribal chiefs and government officials of those times also visited China afterwards.

Frequent high-level visits have taken place since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1963, including former President Jiang, former premiers Li Peng and Zhu Rongji and current NPCSC Chairman Wu Bangguo, while Kenyan President Kibaki visited China in August last year.

The Kenyan Government has adhered to its one-China policy. The two countries have maintained close contact and co-ordination on international affairs. Their co-operation in economy and trade is also expanding. Today, Kenya is an important trading partner of China, while the latter is one of the leading Asian importers of Kenyan products.

The total value of bilateral trade in 2005 reached US$475 million, representing a 29.7 percent year-on-year growth. Co-operation in tourism is proceeding smoothly, with Kenya becoming an official destination for Chinese tourists in March 2004. And Kenya received 11,000 Chinese tourists last year.

Kenya's national flag carrier now operates direct flights between Nairobi and Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province, while China has opened the first Confucius Institute in Africa at the University of Nairobi. During his stay in Kenya, President Hu will hold talks with President Kibaki to discuss the future development of bilateral relations.

President Hu Jintao's visit to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya will further strength the traditional friendship between China and the four countries and will enhance political mutual trust, and expand mutual benefit and co-operation, helping to raise bilateral relations with each of the countries to a new high.

The author is an associate research fellow with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

(China Daily April 24, 2006)