Beijing to keep wooing Africa
China announces third trip by its president to deepen ties with the continent.
Published On 16 Jan 2007
Li Zhaoxing, China’s foreign minister, has just completed a seven-nation tour of mostly smaller African countries.
China secured a slew of energy and other business deals after Hu and
Wen Jiabao, the premier, returned from Africa last year.
Such deals have punctuated its recent courtship of Africa which some in the West see as grabbing resources that the country needs to fuel its booming economy.
Beijing hosted a China-Africa summit in November that drew leaders from more than 40 African nations.
During the event, Wen expressed China’s intention to more than double trade with Africa to $100 bn a year by 2010.
Source: News Agencies