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China kicks off African celebration
2006-11-04
The biggest diplomatic gathering ever hosted by China has got under way as leaders from more than 40 African nations began meeting here for three days of talks aimed at deepening trade and political ties. China invited the leaders from 48 of Africa's 53 nations -- with the other five countries which recognize rival Taiwan also encouraged to send representatives -- in what Beijing is hailing as an historic event. "China and Africa cooperation serves peace and development on both sides as well as the world," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Friday. A total of 35 African heads of state, six heads of government, a vice president and several top economic leaders are representing their nations at the meeting, he said. Trade between China and Africa is expected to exceed 50 billion dollars this year, a near tenfold increase since 1995, and one of the main themes of the China-Africa Forum is ensuring that number continues to grow. More than 2,500 business deals will be under discussion at the official two-day summit beginning on Saturday, Chinese vice commerce minister Wei Jianguo said in the lead-up to the event, without giving specifics. China's need to source more natural resources from Africa -- including oil, iron ore, timber, cotton and minerals -- has attracted the most interest from the Western world, which is watching the deepening ties with some nervousness. But comments by participants about a statement to be released on Sunday after the summit emphasized that China and Africa are intent on building up their relationships in a wide range of spheres aside from trade. "The Beijing Declaration will aim to establish a new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa based on equality, mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges," an envoy from summit co-chair Ethiopia was quoted in China's state press as saying. China has also promised to make new pledges of aid and debt reduction to Africa during the summit. China has described the event as its biggest and most important international gathering since the founding of the Communist regime in 1949, and has taken remarkable measures to dress up Beijing to impress its guests. Banners proclaiming Sino-African "friendship, cooperation, development and peace" have been pasted on seemingly every major street in downtown Beijing in recent weeks. And to ease the city's notorious traffic jams, more than 750,000 cars have been ordered off the roads during the summit. Official events began on Friday with a ministerial conference that laid the groundwork for the weekend event, with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai also hosting a lunch for their guests. African leaders were also taken on a tour of some of the venues being built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, including the National Stadium known as the "bird's nest" because of its mesh of interlocking steel beams. Perhaps the most controversial element of the summit will be the presence of Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir and his counterpart from Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, both of whom have been accused of gross human rights violations. At a press conference on Friday, Beshir thanked China for helping to stop a 20,000-strong UN peacekeeping force from entering Sudan's violence-wracked Darfur region, which he said would have led to an Iraq-style debacle. "We do appreciate the support that China has given Sudan in the UN Security Council," said Beshir, who had a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday. China, which justifies its close relationship with Beshir and Mugabe by referring to its long-held policy of "non-interference" in any nation's internal affairs, has made no apologies for inviting them. "Our principle when handling our relations with other countries is to never try to impose our social system, development mode, values and ideology upon other countries," spokesman Liu said. "Africa and China, who both suffered at the hands of colonialization, know best what it means to be a victim of colonialization."
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