Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit said he had every confidence that the proposals pledged by Chinese President Hu Jintao on facilitating China-Africa relationship will be materialized as planned.

Gheit made this remark while answering a foreign correspondent's question at a press conference jointly held Sunday by foreign ministers of China, Ethiopia and Egypt following the two-day Beijing Summit on Forum of China-Africa Cooperation.

He said the proposals of China were ambitious and reflected the country's confidence in facilitating South-South collaboration. These proposals are of great importance to the development of Africa, especially in helping Africa to secure peace and safety, he added.

Gheit said Egypt would like to strengthen collaboration with China, attract more investment from China to improve domestic infrastructure facilities and increase exports to China.

At the Saturday-opened Beijing Summit, President Hu pledged China would double aid and offer 5 billion U.S. dollars in loans and credits to Africa by 2009, provide 3 billion dollars of preferential loans and 2 billion dollars of preferential buyer's credit loans to Africa and cancel more debt owed by poor African countries.

Hu also pledged China would further open up its market to Africa by increasing the number of tariff-free products from the continent from 190 to 440, and establish up to five trade and economic cooperation zones there.

Source: Xinhua