China is dedicated to enhancing its cooperation with Africa in human resource development through knowledge and technology transfer, a Chinese diplomat said Tuesday.

Liu Tao, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, made the remarks at the Chinese Government Training Program Fellowship Reception in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

He said China, since the year 2000, has sent over 2,000 agricultural experts and over 7,000 medical personnel to Africa, and has trained more than 80,000 Africans from more than 50 countries.

China has pledged that it would, in three years, train 200,000 technicians and provide 40,000 training opportunities in China, and will offer 30,000 government scholarships, he said.

Stating that 1,100 Ethiopian candidates are invited this year to attend short-term training programs, Liu said Ethiopia is the biggest beneficiary.

This year, 395 candidates from the East African country will pursue their higher education up to doctor's degrees, and the figure doubles that of last year, according to the diplomat.

"The training programs cover more than 20 areas, all are highly compatible with Ethiopia's economic and social development needs and would be conducive to the capacity building and national development of Ethiopia," he said.

Those who have been trained in China have made great contribution not only to the social-economic development of Ethiopia but also to building bridges between our two countries, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Tilaye Gete, Ethiopian Minister of Education, said that Ethiopia attaches great importance to human resources development.

In terms of human resource development, the minister said that the country has carried out various activities on its own and in collaboration with its development partners like China.

"Today's event is one of the practical testimonies of the international cooperation we have. The cooperation with the Chinese government in this regard started since the last almost three decades, as a result over 5,000 professionals were able to be trained in various fields of studies under China Aid framework," he said.

He also expressed hope that the cooperation in the area would be strengthened further, and that China would further increase the number of scholarships for post-graduate students, especially PhD students from Ethiopia.

Representing the 2017 Ethiopian scholarship awardees, Dilamo Otore, Head of the Addis Ababa Trade Bureau who is also a PhD candidate, made a speech, whereby he thanked the Chinese government for its support in human resource development of Ethiopia.

He told Xinhua that he would pursue his education in China and come back home to serve his country and contribute share to the sustainable development of the nation.

(Xinhua News Agency, August 23, 2017)