China unveils package of measures to help developing nations
China yesterday announced a package of measures to assist developing countries, in a move President Hu Jintao said would make the 21st century an era for all people to share the fruits of development.
The president unveiled the plan at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York. The measures range from providing loans and writing off debts, to the granting of tariff-free access and the training of talent for developing countries.
Under the five-point programme, China will set aside US$10 billion as concessionary loans to be given over three years to help developing countries upgrade their infrastructure, while encouraging co-operation between Chinese enterprises and their counterparts in the developing world.
It will over the next two years write off low-interest and interest-free government loans that were overdue at the end of last year, as part of the move to expand the scope of its assistance to poor countries.
Beijing will also grant tariff-free access to goods from the 39 least developed countries with which it has diplomatic ties.
The concession would apply to the majority of the goods that China imports, Mr Hu said.
The assistance also covers manpower training. In the next three years, China will help train 30,000 professionals.
Developing countries, especially those in Africa, will receive Chinese help in training medical personnel as well as donations of drugs from China to be used to treat malaria.
'The issue of development remains unresolved,' Mr Hu said at the beginning of his address. 'The international community still has an arduous and significant task over the [subject of] co-operation for development.'
He pledged that China would try its best to support and help other developing countries speed up their pace of development.
'China will work with the rest of the world to make the 21st century an era of development for every human being,' he said.
The measures would further strengthen China's leading role in the developing world.
At an earlier meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Mr Hu also pledged China's support for multilateral efforts to fight terrorism.
Earlier in his visit to New York, Mr Hu held a much-awaited meeting with his US counterpart George W. Bush, during which they affirmed the need to promote mutual trust and co-operation between the world's two leading powers.
Speaking before the talks, Mr Hu acknowledged there was friction over Sino-American economic and trade ties, but described that as 'inevitable'.
He pledged to resolve the problems through dialogue.
Mr Hu also urged the two countries to continue the momentum of their high-level exchanges.
Mr Bush expressed a willingness to strengthen ties, Xinhua reported.
He also accepted an invitation to visit China after the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders' meeting in Seoul in November.
