China, Africa unveil cooperation measures

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- China will take a series of steps to strengthen its cooperation with Africa in the next three years, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday.

Wen made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik, the state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

"The Chinese people cherish sincere friendship towards the African people, and China's support to Africa's development is concrete and real," Wen said. "Whatever change may take place in the world ... our policy of supporting Africa's economic and social development will not change."

Among eight new measures will be the establishment of a China-Africa partnership in addressing climate change in which Beijing will reportedly build 100 clean energy projects for Africa covering solar power, bio-gas and small hydro-power.

Xinhua said a new China-Africa science and technology partnership is also among the steps, in which Beijing would perform 100 joint demonstration projects with Africa on scientific and technological research.