Sino-African trade has set a new record high of over twenty billion US dollars in the first nine months this year, increased by a half from the same period of last year.

A senior official from China's Ministry of Commerce says China's trade with Africa has a deficit of 1.4 billion US dollars.

The official told a seminar in Beijing that China will adopt further measures to facilitate more African products to enter the Chinese market and will actively implement zero-tariff treatment on products imported from Africa's mostly underdeveloped countries.

He added China is willing to sign free trade agreements or make other regional trade arrangements with African countries or regional organizations when the time is ripe.

(CRI.com November 24, 2004)