A top Chinese central banker said Tuesday in Ugandan capital Kampala that trade between China and Africa grew an amazing 49.7 percent last year.

Wu Xiaoling, Vice governor of People's Bank of China, said in African Development Bank's (ADB) annual meeting Wednesday that trade between her country and Africa reached 18.55 billion US dollars.

Wu said that China has increased import from Africa and encouraged domestic companies to invest in the continent.

The central banker also congratulated the ADB's 40th anniversary and said China is willing to cooperate more with African countries and the ADB.

Growing from a feather-weight banking institution to a major regional player in development finance, the ADB has approved over 2800 loans and grants for commitments by the end of 2003, amounting to over 47 billion US dollars, made to 52 African countries.

Established in 1964 in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the 77-member ADB has 24 non-African members, including China.

The ADB has just celebrated its 40th anniversary in Kampala Monday. Its two-day annual session is to last till Wednesday in the luxurious Lake Victoria resort of Speke, suburban Kampala.