CHINA and the leaders of about 50 African countries ended their largest meeting in Beijing yesterday, announcing trade agreements worth about $1.9 billion (£1 billion).

They also reached agreement on a package of loans and credits to improve China’s ties with the continent.

The three-day forum focused on increasing trade, providing assistance to help the development of African nations and improving strategic ties.

In a closing joint statement, the participants called for a new type of strategic partnership featuring “political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win co-operation and cultural exchanges”.

The political leaders of 48 of the 53 countries in Africa, including 40 heads of state and several leading economics officials, took part in the forum.

On Saturday President Hu Jintao promised African nations $3 billion in preferential loans and $2 billion in preferential buyer’s credits, and said that China would double its aid to Africa by 2009. He also said that China would cancel some of the debt owed by poor African countries. A $5 billion development fund is being set up to encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa.

Forecasters say that China’s trade with Africa will surpass $50 billion this year. In a speech to the China-Africa Forum on Saturday, Premier Wen Jiabao called for this to double by 2010.

The Xinhua News Agency said that business deals were struck between 12 Chinese companies and 11 African nations. The areas included infrastructure, telecoms, technology, mineral resource development and insurance.

Some Africans have accused China of modern colonialism, complaining about poor conditions for workers at Chinese companies. Some also believe that low-cost imports arriving on the continent from China are affecting local industries. There have been worker protests at Chinese factories, and in April militants in Nigeria exploded a car bomb as a warning to Chinese oil companies. The militants said in a statement that any Chinese people found on oil installations “will be treated as thieves”.

China has been accused of ignoring human rights abuses in countries such as Zimbabwe and Sudan. After Western countries withdrew from Sudan in the mid-1990s, the Chinese stepped in and helped to develop oil fields, built refineries and laid oil pipelines. Sudan, which was an oil importer before the Chinese arrived, now earns $2 billion in oil exports each year, half of which goes to China. In return, China has blocked UN sanctions against Sudan regarding human rights abuses in Darfur.

China has also come under criticism from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund for its unrestricted lending and investment in Africa, and for undermining Western attempts to improve governance and cut down on corruption in Africa.

“When China is building roads and schools and providing health infrastructure technology to African counties, are we damaging human rights in Africa?” Liu Jianchao, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said. “African people benefit from China’s projects.”

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