Abuja, Nov. 20, 2015(NAN) The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Gu Xiaojie, said in Abuja that the trade volume between China and Africa as at 2014 exceeded 220 billion dollars.
This is contained in a statement on the forthcoming “6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation’’ (FOCAC) signed by Xiaojie and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
Xiaojie, who said that China which had been Africa’s largest trading partner for six years in a row since 2009, added that China now had diplomatic ties with 50 African countries.
He said China and Africa enjoy an increased cordial relationship with “growing political mutual trust, roaring fruitful economical cooperation, enhancing consultation and coordination in international affairs.
“When China established diplomatic ties with Egypt in 1956, the trade volume between China and Africa stood at roughly 12 million dollars while by 2014, it already exceeded 220 billion dollars,’’ Xiaojie said.
He added that China had also dispatched 24, 500 medical staff to 49 African countries, since Chinese government sent the first medical team abroad to perform aid mission in April 1963.
“China has trained more than 6000 local doctors and nurses, and made diagnosis and given treatment to more than 270 million patients till 2014.
“China has participated in 16 UN peacekeeping personnel in Africa,’’ and pledged that the country would continue to support UN in its efforts to improve and reinforce peacekeeping operation in Africa.
Xiaojie said that the Johannesburg Summit and 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is scheduled for Dec. 3 to Dec. 5, in South Africa.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He said that the historic summit would not only witness the ever-growing of China-Africa relations evolving into a more mature stage, but also mark a new milestone in the history of China-Africa friendship.
“We have every reason to believe that the Johannesburg summit will further deepen mutual understanding between China and Africa.
“It would push forward cooperation between China and Africa featured by wide-ranging , all –directional, and multi-layered.
“It will also strongly forge a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership,’’ the ambassador said.(NAN)
