Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (
Wen arrived back in China yesterday morning after concluding his whirlwind official visits to Egypt, Ghana, the Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Wen's trip -- the third high-level Chinese diplomatic visit to Africa in less than six months -- follows visits earlier this year by Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (李肇星) and President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), who clinched important oil exploration deals in several states.
The tour to the world's poorest continent has aroused concern that Beijing's diplomatic offensive was aimed at countering the US and sparked criticism that China's hunt for natural resources was in disregard of human rights.
Wen rejected those criticisms and stressed that China followed a policy of non-interference in other countries' affairs.
Instead, he talked optimistically of a new strategic partnership with Africa which would enhance political equality and mutual trust as well as promoting economic and political ties.
"The Chinese government, guided by the principle of sincerity, friendship, equality, mutual benefit and common development, is committed to building a new type of strategic partnership with Africa," Wen said in South Africa.
Trade between China and Africa reached around US$40 billion last year, a rise of 35 percent from a year earlier and almost four times higher than in 2001.
In addition, China has given US$5.5 billion in assistance to Africa, sent 16,000 health workers to 43 different countries on the continent and reduced or cancelled the debt of 31 nations over the past 50 years.
It has also promised steps to expand economic and trade ties and help Africa by offering zero-tariff treatment for some exports and increased aid and debt relief, while at the same time helping to build infrastructure.
In Wen's last stop, Uganda, agreements signed include economic and technical cooperation, energy and infrastructure, mining, textiles, oil exploration and tourism.
In South Africa, the two sides signed agreements to restrict the importation of Chinese textiles to protect local industries, as well as boost peaceful nuclear cooperation and a major deal with the country's petroleum giant to explore the possibility of turning coal into oil.
China's growing thirst for oil also saw the country enter a joint venture early this year with Angola, Wen's third stop during the tour, which has since become China's top crude oil source, surpassing Saudi Arabia.
In exchange, Beijing is funding the construction of a railroad linking the west coast city of Benguela to the mineral-rich area on Angola's eastern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo among other projects.
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