President Hu Jintao will pay state visits to Cameroon, Liberia, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Seychelles and Sudan from January 30 to February 10.

    Speaking of the president's first overseas trip this year, the Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun told reporters the visits would aim to implement China's promises to African countries during the China-Africa summit held in Beijing last year. 

   Zhai Jun, assistant foreign minister, said, "The implementation involves aid and investment. To be exact, aid to help African countries get out of poverty; aid to reduce or remit taxation; and aid to set up pilot farms, medical centers as well as primary schools in rural areas."

    One of President Hu Jintao's high-profile stops will perhaps be his meeting with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir where he is expected to exchange views on an ongoing crisis in the Darfur region. Zhai Jun said China believes that major issues like this should be resolved through dialogue.

    Zhai Jun, assistant foreign minister, said, "Simply imposing pressure and sanctions is not a practical way to solve the real issues. They would only lead to further complication of the situation and results that no one wants."

    Zhai Jun said that all of China's cooperation with African countries is based on mutual benefit.

(Source: CCTV)