The Chinese government will grant eight more African countries the status of approved destination for outbound Chinese tourists, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Addis Ababa on Monday.

Wen made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the Second Ministerial Conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

The eight African countries are Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tunisia, Seychelles, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius.

"To step up our tourism cooperation with Africa, China will grant eight more African countries the status of approved destination for outbound Chinese tourists," Wen announced.

In 2002, the Chinese government granted Egypt, South Africa and Morocco the status of approved destination from outbound Chinese tourists.

Once African countries acquired the status of "approved destination for outbound Chinese tourists," Chinese tourists can travel to these countries at their own expenses under the organization of Chinese travel agencies, according to officials from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2003)