China, Sudan ink seven cooperation accords
Feb 2, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — China and Sudan signed today seven cooperation accords in order to boost the growing economic exchange between the two countries, the state-run Suna reported.
President Omar al-Bashir and Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the signing of seven agreements between the two countries in the various fields of economic and technical cooperation at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Friday.
The accords include agreement on humanitarian aid to Darfur, a grant from the Chinese government amounting to 40m Yen (4.8 mln US dollars).
The two countries also signed a loan agreement for new presidential palace project of some 100 mln Yen and 90 mln Yen loan agreement from the old loans extended by China to the government of Sudan.
China has agreed to give Sudan an interest-free loan of 100 mln yuan and a grant of 40 mln for a variety of projects, Sudanese Finance Minister Al-Zubair Ahmed Hassan said.
The agreements also included a protocol on pardoning part of Sudan due debts to China amounting to some 470m Yen and 19m dollars. The Chinese president Hu Jintao announced cancellation of due debts of Sudan todaty.
The agreements further included zero-tariff agreement, which is a preferential one covering 44 Sudanese commodities exported to China.
The two sides also signed agreement on implementation of two schools in the rural areas in Sudan and another one for establishment of a centre for agricultural technology.
(ST)