Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Saturday that economic
cooperation between China and Africa is mutually beneficial and
carried out on an equal footing.
Chinese President Hu Jintao
shakes hands with Zambian President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa in
Lusaka, capital of Zambia on February 3, 2007.
Hu, who arrived?in?Lusaka?earlier in the day for
a state visit to Zambia, made the remarks at a banquet hosted by
his Zambian counterpart Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.
Cooperation between China and African countries covers a wide
range of areas, including agriculture, manufacturing,
infrastructure, science and technology, education, health, culture,
sports, tourism and human resources development, said the
president.
He added that the pragmatic cooperation in all these fields "has
yielded fruitful results."
Chinese investment in such areas as infrastructure in African
countries is instrumental in turning their advantage in energy
resources into one in development, Hu said.
Local consumers have benefited from the quality and cheap
Chinese commodities, which have also helped African countries cut
back on foreign exchange spending, he said.
"The basic foothold for China's economic development is to
expand its own domestic demand," said Hu.
He said the Chinese government does not encourage Chinese
enterprises to squeeze into other markets by solely increasing
exports.
Instead, the Chinese government encourages Chinese enterprises
to increase their investment in Africa, in particular in those
areas which have a direct bearing on the livelihood of African
people.
Chinese President Hu Jintao
attends a welcoming ceremony held by his Zambian counterpart Levy
Patrick Mwanawasa, upon his arrival in Lusaka, capital of Zambia on
February 3, 2007.
Meanwhile, China has increased imports from Africa and taken
active measures, including the reduction and exemption of tariffs
on some African goods, in an effort to address some African
nations' concerns about trade issues, he said.
"Facts have proven and will continue to prove that on the
African people's great march toward peace and development, the
Chinese people will always be their time-tested and trusted friend,
partner and brother," Hu said.
The Chinese president flew into Lusaka from Khartoum, capital of
Sudan.
Zambia is the fourth leg of Hu's eight-nation Africa tour, which has
already taken him to Cameroon, Liberia and Sudan. He will also
visit Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Seychelles.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2007)
