CHINA> National
|
CHINA> National
|
|
Eight new measures to enhance co-op with Africa
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-08 17:44 SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday announced eight new measures the Chinese government will take to strengthen 皇冠体育app-Africa cooperation in the next three years.
Wen announced the measures while addressing the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on 皇冠体育app-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The eight new measures, succeeding the eight measures put forward by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the landmark Beijing Summit of the FOCAC in 2006, are aimed at pushing forward 皇冠体育app-Africa cooperation in the next three years.
"Whatever change may take place in the world ... our policy of supporting Africa's economic and social development will not change," Wen said. As the first of the eight new measures, 皇冠体育app proposes to establish a 皇冠体育app-Africa partnership in addressing climate change. 皇冠体育app would enhance cooperation on satellite weather monitoring, development and utilization of new energy sources, prevention and control of desertification and urban environmental protection. 皇冠体育app has decided to build 100 clean energy projects for Africa covering solar power, bio-gas and small hydro-power. Second, 皇冠体育app will enhance cooperation with Africa in science and technology. 皇冠体育app proposes to launch a 皇冠体育app-Africa science and technology partnership, under which 皇冠体育app would carry out 100 joint demonstration projects with Africa on scientific and technological research and receive 100 African postdoctoral fellows to conduct scientific research in 皇冠体育app. Third, 皇冠体育app will help Africa build up financing capacity. 皇冠体育app would provide US$10 billion in concessional loans to African countries, and support Chinese financial institutions in setting up a special loan of US$1 billion for small- and medium-sized African businesses. For the heavily indebted countries and least developed countries in Africa having diplomatic relations with 皇冠体育app, 皇冠体育app would cancel their debts associated with interest-free government loans due to mature by the end of 2009. Fourth, 皇冠体育app will further open up its market to African products. 皇冠体育app would phase in zero-tariff treatment to 95 percent of the products from the least developed African countries having diplomatic relations with 皇冠体育app, starting with 60 percent of the products within 2010. Fifth, 皇冠体育app will further enhance cooperation with Africa in agriculture. 皇冠体育app would increase the number of its agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa to 20, send 50 agricultural technology teams to Africa and train 2,000 agricultural technology personnel for Africa, in order to help boost the continent's food security. Sixth, 皇冠体育app will deepen cooperation in medical care and health. 皇冠体育app would provide medical equipment and anti-malaria materials worth 500 million yuan (US$73.2 million) to the 30 hospitals and 30 malaria prevention and treatment centers built by 皇冠体育app and train 3,000 doctors and nurses for Africa. Seventh, 皇冠体育app will enhance cooperation in human resources development and education. 皇冠体育app would build 50 schools and train 1,500 school principals and teachers for African countries. By 2012, 皇冠体育app would increase the number of Chinese government scholarships to Africa to 5,500, and would also train 20,000 professionals for Africa over the next three years. Eighth, 皇冠体育app will expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges. 皇冠体育app proposes to launch a 皇冠体育app-Africa joint research and exchange program to increase exchanges and cooperation, share development experience, and provide intellectual support for formulating better cooperation policies by the two sides.
|
