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| Key Africa visit for China's Hu |
| Namibia, 06.02.2007 |
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| Chinese President Hu Jintao is heading for South Africa, his country's key trading partner in Africa.
Trade between China and South Africa has grown rapidly since diplomatic ties were established nine years ago.
However, China's commercial success is causing African concern about a flood of cheap imports, correspondents say.
Mr Hu, on a 12-day tour of African states, arrives from Namibia where he announced a package of development aid for the mineral-rich nation.
Mr Hu praised the "brotherly friendship" shown by a "young country full of vitality and talent".
Namibia's President, Hifikepunye Pohamba, has encouraged co-operation and trade between the two nations.
Tourism boost
Trade between Namibia and China increased by over 100% from a year earlier in the first 11 months of 2006.
The two presidents signed agreements on economic and technical co-operation as well as deals to boost the number of Chinese tourists who visit the country.
Mr Hu, who has already visited Zambia and Sudan, will also travel to Mozambique and the Seychelles as part of his 12-day African tour aiming to boost economic ties.
His next stop, South Africa, is China's key trade partner on the continent.
Imports and exports increased by 30% in 2005. But with China still enjoying a huge trade surplus, there has been concern about cheap Chinese imports, especially in the textile industry.
Investment
A new quota system is designed to give South African garment manufacturers a chance to recover over the next three years.
But with high levels of unemployment, South Africa would like to see greater Chinese investment that offers a long-term future for local workers, the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says.
There is also some concern in other African states about China's commercial might.
In Namibia, for example, Chinese companies are unburdened by minimum wages and labour laws and frequently undercut local construction companies, correspondents note.
Last week, during a visit to Sudan, Mr Hu agreed on a series of deals with Sudan, which China has protected from UN sanctions over the Darfur conflict.
www.bbc.news.co.uk |
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