From January 30 to February 10, Chinese President Hu Jintao is paying state visits to eight African countries: Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Seychelles. This is his first overseas visit in 2007 and the third one to Africa since he assumed office.

The trip comes less than three months after the first Sino-African summit and the third Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), held in Beijing in November, and only nine months after Hu's previous visit to Africa last April.

These frequent visits show that Chinese leaders and the Chinese Government are paying close attention to the development of Africa, as well as the development of Sino-African relations. Besides, these also reflect China's resolve to promote Sino-African cooperation with pragmatism and efficiency.

The eight countries are located in the western, east-central and southern regions of Africa, as well as in the Indian Ocean, making Hu's trip an overall tour of the continent intended to strengthen traditional friendship and cooperation. His previous visits mainly focused on the northern and western regions of Africa, never the south. This time, visits to central and south Africa, which account for almost half of Hu's journey, are emphasized.

Among the countries, Sudan is the largest, South Africa has the greatest economic power, while the Seychelles is a small country. Sudan and Zambia maintain traditional friendship with China. Liberia recently resumed diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China after the former broke off ties with Taiwan in 2003.

China is making an effort to develop its ties with all African countries, whether they are big or small, developed or developing. Since this is the first time that a Chinese president visits Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Mozambique and Seychelles, Hu's visits to these countries are considered milestones in their relations with China.

The trip, coming so soon after the China-Africa summit and FOCAC, is meant to check the results of the summit meeting in order to promote practical cooperation and deepen strategic relations. On the eve of President Hu's departure, the Ministry of Commerce announced that China will write off debts owed by 33 African countries to honor the pledge it made last November.

Modes of cooperation

At the inauguration of the summit, Hu announced eight categories of cooperation over the next three years:

-- Double China's 2006 assistance to Africa;

-- Provide $3 billion of preferential loans and $2 billion of preferential buyers' credits to Africa;

-- Set up a China-Africa development fund that will reach $5 billion to encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa and provide support to them;

-- Build a conference center for the African Union to support African countries in their efforts to strengthen themselves through unity and support the process of African integration;