A spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce said in Beijing Thursday that China has provided aid to 53 African countries over the past 50 years and the aid carried "no political conditions."

 

Spokesperson Chong Quan told a press conference that China has helped African nations build nearly 800 complete sets of projects in the past five decades.

 

He made the remarks while introducing to the press economic and trade cooperative ties between China and seven African countries Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is scheduled to visit later this month.

 

Wen will embark on a week-long visit to Egypt, Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda from June 17 to 24.

 

Last year, Chong said, China's trade with the seven countries amounted to US$21.13 billion, accounting for half of the volume of China's African trade.

 

South Africa was China's biggest trade partner in Africa. Angola the second, the Republic of Congo the fifth, and Egypt the sixth.

 

In the first three months of this year, China's trade with the seven African nations totaled US$6.56 billion, up 168.2 percent from a year earlier.

 

Chong said Sino-African economic and trade ties have developed "fast and steadily" based on the principle of equality, mutual benefit and common development through various means.

 

In 2005, China and African bilateral trade came to US$39.74 billion, doubling that of 2000, with China's export to African countries standing at US$18.68 billion, and China's import from the African continent totaling US$21 billion.

 

According to Chong, in the January-March period of this year, China's trade with the African continent surged 52 percent year-on-year to US$11.54 billion.

 

He said China's accumulated direct investment in the African continent reached US$1.18 billion by the end of 2005, with China-invested projects scattering in 49 African countries.

 

He noted China has also helped African countries train thousands of various special technical personnel.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)