Hello, and welcome to this edition of  Africa Express here on China Radio International. I'm your host, Wei Tong. 

The China-Africa New Strategic Partnership, established during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last year encourages the two sides to make joint efforts to achieve a win-win economy.

Statistics show that direct investment from China in Africa totaled nearly 500 million US dollars by the end of last July.

Bilateral trade has topped 39 billion US dollars, a thirty percent increase over the same period last year. What is more, China and Africa initiated a development fund to facilitate Chinese enterprises to invest in Africa.

Now 454 commodities from 26 least-developed African countries can access Chinese markets with zero tariffs. China has also been setting up economic and trade cooperative zones, agricultural technology centers and malaria control and treatment centers on the continent. So far, more than 4,000 Africans from all walks of life have been trained in China. Seventy-five Chinese young volunteers have been sent to three African countries, serving in medical care, Chinese teaching and information technology.

Lucas Njoroge, a research fellow on international relations from the University of Nairobi, analyzes that active measures taken by Chinese government have boosted African development.

"The first thing is the growth of direct investment from China. These can be used in various industries, various projects like infrastructure, various exploitations like oil and so on. We think we have seen for African countries, all of sudden, they have to face a different orientation that they have never been used to. For instance, much of the criticism of China's involvement in African countries is because there not seem to be attaching in the conditionalities to the support of African countries. So African countries find a better leeway for that and easier way to get more funding. That is the way to go. We should feel a courage to be associated with China."

Earlier this year, Chinese president Hu Jintao visited eight African countries and exchanged ideas with his counterparts on consolidating new strategic partnership, enhancing pragmatic cooperation and promoting common development. They have reached many agreements in this regard.

One of the measures put forward by the Chinese government is to enlarge economic and technological assistance to Egypt. Trade between China and Egypt has grown from one billion US dollars in 2003 to over three billion dollars last year. The figure is expected to top four billion dollars this year. At present, more than 350 Chinese enterprises have invested in Egypt, amounting to 430 million US dollars.

Ahmed Fathi Sorour, President of the People's Assembly of Egypt, which is the country's top legislative body, says Egypt has benefited from China-Africa close economic cooperation.

"Africa is a strong continent. And this continent must be independent and the independence of Africa and Africans will help all the world. It has to be developed for its people and has to cooperate with all the world. The presence of China in Africa is very important for its independence, for its development and for the cooperation between China and Africa."

He Wenping, a senior researcher on Africa from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, notes the closer and win-win economic relations between China and Africa not only promoted bilateral economies but is a crucial factor to boost global economy.

"Chinese economy is now an indispensable part of the global economy. So is that of Africa's. Of the global production chains, China is now on the manufacturing process while Africa remains as the raw materials providers. However, things will change. On one hand, the fast development of Chinese economy can speed up industrialization in Africa. On the other hand, the rapid growth of both economies will solidify the process of globalization."

Now that wraps up this edition of 'Africa Express'. If you would like to listen to this or other stories again, please log onto our website at: www.crienglish.com. You can also contact us via email through: africaexpress@crifm.com. I'm Wei Tong. I hope you can tune in to our program again next time. Bye for now!