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Hu's visit shows commitment to Africa

Focus is on trade, says African Development Bank

— PHOTO: AP

CRUCIAL ROLE: Chinese President Hu Jintao in this recent photo.

BEIJING: A spokesman for the African Development Bank (ADB) has said that Chinese President Hu Jintao's coming visit to Africa showed Beijing's commitment to the continent.

``It shows the seriousness of commitment by the Government of China that President Hu, who received all these African leaders [in November], is going out there to see for himself what is going on,'' said Eric Chinje, ADB director of communications.

Mr. Hu will pay state visits to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and the Seychelles, from January 30 to February 10, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao announced.

Critical player

``It is interesting to us that he goes out. He is making Africa one of the major areas of attention. So, we are very pleased about this trip,'' said Mr. Chinje.

The ADB will hold its annual board meeting in Shanghai on May 16 and 17, and Mr. Chinje was here to inspect the preparations for the meeting.

Mr. Chinje said the ADB was a ``critical player'' in promoting China-Africa economic and trade relations. ``The ADB is a most reliable and efficient channel for development assistance to Africa. We have in place the structure, capacity and technical expertise to take development assistance and use it well, and produce results on the ground.

``Obviously, if China needs such a partner, at a time when this country wants to see Africa also develop, the ADB becomes a critical player in that process, and what we can do also for China is to provide Chinese companies to bring the technology, build infrastructure, to get involved in the process in Africa,'' he said.

Mr. Chinje met Xinhua news agency deputy chief editor Liu Jiang on Wednesday and said he hoped Xinhua would report on the bank's annual meeting.

It is the first time for the annual board meeting of the ADB to be held in Asia, and the second time out of Africa. In 2001, the bank's annual board meeting was held in Spain. This is Mr. Chinje's sixth visit to China since 1977. — Xinhua

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