China will sign debt relief agreements with 33 African countries by the end of 2007 to honor the pledges it made at the Sino-African Forum, the Ministry of Commerce said in Beijng Monday.

The move came a day before President Hu Jintao sets off on an African tour which will take him to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and the Seychelles.

The ministry did not reveal the total value of the loans, which matured at the end of 2005, to be written off. The nations concerned are heavily-indebted countries or are among the world's least developed nations, it said.

China plans to double free aid and interest-free loans to African countries to help with social, cultural and public welfare projects over the next three years.

Preferential loans worth 3 billion U.S. dollars will be provided to help African countries develop infrastructure, purchase technological equipment and establish production enterprises.

A convention center covering a floor space of 50,000 square meters will be built for the African Union free of charge. The building is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

China will also strengthen its cooperation with African countries in human resources, agriculture, medical care, social development and education over the next three years.

General or special hospitals with 100 to 150 beds will be built for countries that have poor medical facilities and anti-malarial medicines will be provided to 33 countries.

Three hundred young volunteers will be dispatched to English-speaking countries like Ethiopia and Zimbabwe and French-speaking countries over the next three years.

China also plans to help African countries build 100 primary schools before 2009, each of which will be able to accommodate 300 pupils.