Outgoing African Union (AU) Chairman Joaquim Chissano said Tuesday in Addis Ababa at the opening sessions of the regional bloc's annual summit that the union values the cooperation between China and Africa.

Also Mozambican president, Chissano said in his opening remarks to the third summit of the successor body to the Organization of African Unity, held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, that it is "important to attend the Sino-Africa Cooperation Forum."

He noted some of the positive results of the last session of the Forum held in Addis Ababa at the end of last year, including the cancellation of some of Africa's debt and "China's will to ...open of its markets to Africa," and the increase of 2000 scholarships to African students.

Chissano also praised China's willingness to enhance its relations with Africa through the New Partnership for Africa's Development, the continent's homegrown development plan, and the country's assistance to Africa in prevention and treatment of the diseases that have been ravaging the continent, such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2004)