A senior Chinese government official on Tuesday reiterated the
country's time-honored and firm support for African countries to
develop trade so as to improve their economies.
Yi Xiaozhun, deputy minister of commerce, told participants at
the World Trade Organization Aid for Trade Conference in Dar es
Salaam that the Chinese government had actively participated in
mutually-beneficial economic cooperation in various forms with
Africa.
"Since the 1950s, China has provided assistance to the best of
its ability to 53 African countries through nearly 900 projects
covering areas such as farming, animal husbandry, fishery, light
and textile industries, transportation, radio communication, water
conservation, electricity supply, machinery, as well as public and
civil construction," said the deputy minister.
As a developing country itself, China shares the feelings of
other developing countries, especially the countries in Africa,
said the deputy minister.
Yi cited a traditional Chinese saying to pinpoint that the
sustainability of showing others how to fish is better than simply
feeding them with fish.
"So China's philosophy of helping recipient countries gradually
move on to a path of self-reliance and independent economic
development concurs with the WTO mission of Aid for Trade which is
aiming at helping the beneficiaries stand and grow on their own
feet," the official added.
Yi promised that China will continue to expand its aid programs
in Africa with the country's own economic growth so as to further
enhance efficiency of aid utilization, and to broaden economic and
technological cooperation with African countries.
The Chinese official appealed to developed countries to shoulder
greater responsibilities as they have the capacity and obligation
to do more to help the developing countries.
"They should increase Official Development Aid and the flow of
FDI to African countries," he said.
The multilateral trading system with much imbalance favoring
more the interests of developed countries has resulted in the
marginalization of some developing countries, especially the least
developed countries in Africa, in the course of globalization.
"This situation must be corrected," urged the Chinese official
who called for the provision of technical assistance to help
developing countries address their inadequacies in trade-related
capacity and infrastructure.
(Xinhua News Agency October 3, 2007)
