China has agreed to endorse Rwanda with the Approved Tourist Destination status in an effort to facilitate bilateral exchanges and trade, President Hu Jintao told visiting Rwandese President Paul Kagame in Beijing on Friday.    

 

This has raised the number of tourism destination countries for Chinese tourists in Africa to at least 10, including Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Tunis, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Zambia, Namibia, Seychelles and Rwanda.

 

In his meeting with Kagame, Hu said he believed the friendly cooperative relations between China and Rwanda would advance in a healthy and rapid manner.

 

"The Sino-Rwandese ties have weathered time and domestic changes, and witnessed strengthened governmental, legislature and party collaboration over the past 35 years. We hope both countries could continue to work together in global and regional affairs," Hu said.

 

Kagame recognized the effective cooperation between Rwanda and China in agriculture, fishery, sanitation and the construction of public utilities. Bilateral coordination in international affairs was favorable, he said.

 

Kagame arrived here Thursday for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation slated for November 4-5. Rwanda forged diplomatic ties with China on November 12, 1971. Bilateral trade topped US$23.54 million in 2005.

 

On Friday morning alone, Hu rolled out red carpet at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing to welcome presidents of Congo, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Ghana. He is scheduled to meet with another five African presidents later Friday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2006)