CHENGDU, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- "Women and men of Africa wake up! It is time to unite with the East. Come, let's reason together and be conquerors."

    The line comes from the poem, "Viva China and Africa", which was a gift to Zeng Tingfu, head of the training department of the International Exchange Center with southwest China's Sichuan provincial health department.

    "It was composed by the African students from the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Seminar for African Countries," he said.

    The training for African officials and doctors, sponsored by Chinese government, started in 2004. To date it has attracted over130 people, some of whom are still in contact with Zeng.

    A e-mail arrived on Friday from N'Guessan K. Bertin, deputy director of the National Foundation of AIDS Prevention in the Ivory Coast.

    "I miss you very much," it reads. "I hope all my Chinese friends can come to my country. And I suggest that we set up a website where all students from the seminar can keep in touch and share our experience in AIDS-prevention work."

    Many African countries, especially in the south, are plagued by AIDS. Currently 70 percent, or 26.6 million of the world's HIV infected live in sub-Saharan Africa. The continent has a staggering 3.2 million AIDS patients and 2.3 million deaths from the disease.

    "We are grateful that China is willing to share its experience with us," said Dzamado K. Mamuli, director of the AIDS Global Fund Activity Group in Togo. "Compared with some Western countries who sell their advanced experience at a high price, we are touched by the friendliness of China."

    During the two-week course in September, the African students discussed with their Chinese counterparts and were invited to visit grassroots disease prevention and control offices in China. They studied the disease monitoring system and hoped to enhance cooperation with China in establishing the similar systems in their countries.

    China has a long history of medical cooperation with African countries. Since 1963 when the first medical aid team was dispatched to Algeria, more than 16,000 medical workers have served in 47 African countries and regions. About 900 Chinese medical workers are still working in 35 countries.

    In a document issued in January, the Chinese government undertook to continue its medical aid to Africa, including medical teams, establishing and upgrading medical centers, delivering medicines and training medical workers, in a bid to help check the spread of deadly diseases like AIDS and malaria.

    In return, China can learn from African officials and experts about development. For instance, some students noted that more efforts should be made to raise awareness of AIDS prevention, as many still know little about the disease. In Africa, they said, AIDS related posters could be found everywhere.

    "The long campaign against the disease has given officials and experts in Africa more experience in AIDS prevention and control," said Zhang Jianxin, one of the lecturers and a professor from Sichuan University.

    In fact, the course was not only mutually beneficial, but strengthened friendship between China and Africa.

    "The end of the seminar is just a start of our new cooperation," said Dzamado K. Mamuli. "Working together, we shall find the most effective weapon to conquer AIDS." Enditem