China has shown its willingness to boost co-operation with Western nations to help Africa, said observers of the Group of Eight (G8) Summit.

The summit could potentially urge the international community to shape prospects for development on the continent.

Dr. Liu Naiya, a senior researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that while the G8 has regarded Africa's situation as an issue to be addressed, President Hu Jintao has used the gathering to call upon the world to pay more attention to Africa's development and to further help African countries.

"The international community, especially the developed countries, should take more active and effective measures to deliver their promise on funds, debt reduction and cancellation, market access and, in particular, the promise to spend 0.7 per cent of gross domestic income on official development assistance," Hu said in St. Petersburg at a summit of six developing countries, which included India, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the Republic of Congo and China.

The latest summit was held on the sidelines of the just-concluded three-day G8 Summit in the former Russian capital.

"Without stability in Africa, there will be no world peace. Without development in Africa, there will be no world prosperity," Hu said, adding that "the international community should pay more attention to African stability and development."

Liu said China's increasing role in Africa which has moved from bilateral trade to unconditional aid, and from debt relief to professional training has built its international image as a peaceful, magnanimous and responsible nation.

He said one reason China is an attractive partner to Africa is because Beijing never places conditions on its aid to its African friends.

He said that in light of its own financial capacity and economic situation, China does its best to provide and gradually increase assistance to African nations with no political strings attached.

Xu Weizhong, director of the department of African studies with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said China should develop a more fruitful co-operation with Western nations in assisting Africa because China has limited financial resources.

He told his audience in a major international conference on "The Role of China in Africa" late last month that China understands the traditional linkage between Africa and the West and welcomes more competition between China and the West in Africa.

"This kind of competition should be encouraged, because it is in the interest of African people," he said, adding that China and Western countries can be complementary in helping Africa.

Xu's remarks were echoed by Liu, who agrees to appreciate the international community's attention to Africa.

China and Africa

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of diplomatic relations between China and the African nations, 2006 has been widely accepted as "year of Africa in China."

China has donated billions of dollars in aid to Africa, providing malaria medication, setting up agricultural training centres and providing medical and technical personnel to help train Africans. It has also cancelled some 10 billion yuan (US$1.25 billion) of African debt to China in celebration of the anniversary.

Liu said President Hu's visit to Africa in April, premier Wen Jiabao's tour to Africa last month and the preparation for the November Sino-Africa summit in Beijing - the largest diplomatic action in Chinese history - have shown the importance the nation attaches to the African continent.

Last year, the G8 leaders agreed at the Gleneagles summit in Britain that aid for all developing countries will increase by about US$50 billion per year by 2010, of which at least half would be for Africa.

They also agreed to cancel all debts owed by eligible heavily indebted poor countries to the International Development Association, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Fund.

Source: China Daily