BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior African ambassador to China spoke highly of Sino-African relations here on Friday at the eve of an African delegation's China tour.

    Eleih-Elle Etian, Cameroonian Ambassador and also dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in China, told Xinhua that the traditional friendship between African countries and China witnessed satisfactory progress in recent years.

    The ambassador, who took office in 1989, said friendship exists between African and Chinese peoples and the two sides' governments.     

    Chinese assistance to Africa has never been attached to political pre-conditions and the two sides support each other in the international arena, he said.

    China also supported African countries' appeal to reduce debt and promised in 2000 to cut 10 billion yuan (about 1.2 billion US dollars) in debt of some poor African countries.

    China has signed debt reduction agreements with 31 African countries to 60 percent of that owed, according to Chinese figures.

    Africa-China cooperation in economic, trade, technology, finance, agriculture and health-care fields is very fruitful, Etian said.

    In 2003, China announced it would levy zero tariff on imports of a number of goods from more than 20 African countries. Since 2004, more than 1,200 African personnel have been trained in China.

    Trade between African countries and China surged by nearly halffrom 2003 to 2004. The trade volume hit 4.8 billion US dollars in the first two months of 2005, recording a 26 percent growth on thebasis of the same period last year, customs show.

    Meanwhile, Chinese investment in Africa is surging. About 650 Chinese companies have been set up in Africa with a total investment of 1.6 billion US dollars, Etian said.

    Africa and China should exert new efforts, expand the cooperation areas and set up new goals to further promote their relations, Etian said.

    Officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and ruling parties from nine African countries will meet in Beijing next week to discuss future cooperation.

    During the 20-member delegation's two-week stay here, the group will attend a seminar on further cementing inter-party and nation-to-nation relations and meet with CPC leaders, according to the CPC Central Committee International Department. Enditem