Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit said he had every confidence that the
proposals pledged by Chinese President Hu Jintao on facilitating China-Africa
relationship will be materialized as planned.
Gheit made this remark while answering a foreign correspondent's question at
a press conference jointly held Sunday by foreign ministers of China, Ethiopia
and Egypt following the two-day Beijing Summit on Forum of China-Africa
Cooperation.
He said the proposals of China were ambitious and reflected the country's
confidence in facilitating South-South collaboration. These proposals are of
great importance to the development of Africa, especially in helping Africa to
secure peace and safety, he added.
Gheit said Egypt would like to strengthen collaboration with China, attract
more investment from China to improve domestic infrastructure facilities and
increase exports to China.
At the Saturday-opened Beijing Summit, President Hu pledged China would
double aid and offer 5 billion U.S. dollars in loans and credits to Africa by
2009, provide 3 billion dollars of preferential loans and 2 billion dollars of
preferential buyer's credit loans to Africa and cancel more debt owed by poor
African countries.
Hu also pledged China would further open up its market to Africa by
increasing the number of tariff-free products from the continent from 190 to
440, and establish up to five trade and economic cooperation zones there.