Eritrea also wants to develop cooperation with China in manufacturing, he said.

"China has advanced a lot in manufacturing, China is supplying the world market with quality goods," he said.

"We have other minor areas of construction projects, like roads, harbors, airports, houses, water supply projects," Isayas said.

In areas of agriculture, he said Eritrea needs a lot of cooperation in terms of exchange of experts.

"We can do that in no time and I believe it's a realistic approach, given the fact that China has emerged as a major economic power," he said.

"We believe we can be a good hub among other hubs in the region for regional and global exchange or interaction in terms of trade. And we believe we can do that with China."

Isayas described Eritrea-China cooperation as a long term partnership.

"I think this is a long term partnership, it has to be sustainable," he said.

"And to make it sustainable in partnership, one party may have an advantage in a number of areas and that those advantages should be used to enable the other party so that the combined resource and capability of both parties gives more value or adds value to the venture that can exist between the two parties."

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2008)