China
Chinese president´s Africa tour gives fresh impetus to traditional friendship
Source: Xinhua | 02-18-2009 08:20
Special Report: President Hu visits 5 nationsBEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- After a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia beginning Feb. 10, Chinese President Hu Jintao started an Africa tour aimed at enhancing China's friendship with developing countries in the region.
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Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses a welcoming rally attended by people from various sectors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 16, 2009. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) |
The trip, which took Hu to Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius from Feb. 12 to 17, has given new impetus to the traditional friendship between China and Africa.
The time-honored friendship between China and Africa can be traced back to as early as the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when Chinese navigator Zheng He traveled to the African continent during his seven epic voyages.
In the 1960s, when most African countries launched a wave of independence struggles, late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai had also visited Africa to express his country's staunch support for its African brothers.