China began offering aid to African nations in 1956. Over the past 50 years, in spite of its own economic difficulties, China has offered valuable support to African peoples.

Over the past fifty years, China has provided a total of 44.4 billion Yuan in aid to Africa and assisted with about 900 infrastructure and social welfare projects. In recent years, China has remitted more than 156 articles of debt for 31 of the least developed African countries, totaling around 10.5 billion Yuan. China also faithfully fulfilled the commitment it made at the second China-Africa Cooperation Forum three years ago to train 10,000 African personnel across all fields.

As China is also a developing country, its economic assistance to African countries falls into the category of "South-South" cooperation. Although China's assistance to Africa is limited in terms of quantity, the results are very significant and both sides have benefited from it. China's assistance to Africa has not only promoted the political independence, economic growth and social advancement of African countries, but has also expedited the development of Sino-African economic and trade relations and bilateral relations as a whole. It has helped expand China's diplomatic stage, enhanced its international influence, and played a key role in defending China's sovereignty and unity and in promoting its economic development.

China's assistance to Africa has won acclaim from African people as a result of its unremitting adherence to its self-imposed principles of assistance. Compared with Western countries, China has unique traditions and features in its policy of assistance to Africa:

Firstly, China has never attached any political conditions to its economic assistance, never intervened in the internal affairs of the recipient countries, and never required any special privileges.

Secondly, China has aimed to enhance the "blood-making" function of African countries and strengthen their capacity for self-reliance by helping them train technicians and management personnel.

Thirdly, China has identified and supported projects according to the priorities of African countries and their practical demands. It has also stressed the effectiveness of the projects.

Finally, the Chinese government has consistently emphasized equality and mutual benefit in providing assistance to African countries. It has always emphasized that aid is not unilateral charity, but mutual support.

China has adequately adhered to the "eight principles" and "four principles" in its policy of assistance to Africa which it promulgated in the early 1960s and 1980s. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has reiterated these policies on many occasions during his visit to Africa. It is because of China's long-term sincere and unselfish assistance to Africa that African countries have become China's loyal allies and lent a helping hand at critical moments.

China's assistance to Africa is a long-term strategic policy. Africa is still home to the world's most heavily indebted and least developed countries. Since the end of last century however, Africa's overall economic situation has improved, but the situation remains difficult in most African countries and aid remains essential for economic growth. China's assistance to Africa focuses on economic and trade cooperation.

After considering the practical difficulties of African countries and the need to develop long-term, stable and comprehensive cooperative relations with Africa in the 21st century, the Chinese government has confirmed that it will continue to increase its assistance to African nations. This will be done in accordance with its financial and economic situation as outlined in "China's Africa Policy" paper, published in January this year following the first "China-Africa Cooperation Forum" in October 2000.

The author, Zhang Hongming, is Deputy Director of the Institute of West Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences