Bamako --  China will continue to increase aid to Africa despite the impact of the current global financial crisis upon itself so that China and African countries will be able to weather the difficult times together through mutual support, President Hu Jintao announced on Thursday.

China will also, within its capability, reduce or cancel African countries' debts and expand its trade and increase investment in Africa to fulfill the commitments it made during the China-Africa Cooperation Forum Beijing Summit in 2006, Hu said.

The financial crunch that started in the United States last year has now spread across the world. In China, hundreds of thousands businesses have closed down and millions of migrant workers lost their jobs.

While acknowledging that China's economic development also faces many difficulties due to the global economic crisis, Hu said the grave challenges makes it all the more important for China and Africa to unite and cooperate with each other.

As a genuine friend of Africa, China will further take concrete actions to enrich the cooperation between the two sides, Hu said.

Meanwhile, China will also call on the international society to pay close attention to the severe adverse effects of the global economic slow-down in Africa and honor their pledge of aid to Africa, Hu said.

China-Mali Relations

Hu arrived on Thursday in Mali, the second leg of his current "Journey of Friendship and Cooperation".

President Hu Jintao (R) and Mali President Amadou Toumany Toure review a guard of honour upon the visiting Chinese leader's arrival in the Mali's capital Bamako, Thursday, February 12, 2009. [Xinhua]

Immediately after the grandiose welcoming ceremony, Hu exchanged views with Toure over bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common concerns.

During the talk, Hu made four proposals to cement the two countries' 49 years' of friendship and cooperation.

While continuing high level exchanges, Hu said the two countries should also expand such interactions between the two governments, parliaments, military and non-government organizations, to enhance mutual political trust.

As far as further enriching bilateral collaboration to promote mutual development, he said the Chinese government will continue to encourage and support Chinese firms to invest in Mali and strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of telecommunications, agriculture, infrastructure construction, including the third sugar processing factory in Mali and the No 3 bridge in Mali's capital.

In terms of expanding people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Hu said China welcomes Mali to participate the World Expo in Shanghai next year, to display Mali's ancient civilization and culture.

He told the media China will offer additional 34 scholarships for Malian students to study in China and help train 65 professionals.

Meanwhile, China will ensure the completion of 10 centers for women and children and stock them with medicines and medical facilities for a new center for treatment of malaria, which Hu will unveil today.