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BUJUMBURA - CHINESE Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi arrived on Wednesday for a two-day to a visit to Burundi aimed at boosting trade and cooperation ties between the Asian giant and the small central African nation.
'I am convinced that my visit will contribute to strengthening mutual knowledge and friendship and stepping up cooperation with the aim of bringing to China-Burundi relations to a new level,' Mr Yang said in a statement.
'We expect a lot from the visit of the Chinese foreign minister. When a minister from such a powerful country travels to ours, it is a sign of a strong relationship,' Burundi's Foreign Minister Antoinette Batumubwira said.
'China gives us valuable support in the fields of education, health and trade... and during this visit we are scheduled to sign a interest-free loan agreement worth US$2 million (S$2.86 million),' she added.
China is currently building a higher education institute, three primary schools and a dam in Burundi and has pledged to build a new presidential palace in 2008.
The Chinese minister is set to meet Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza later on Wednesday.
China is keen to secure access to Africa's natural resources to feed its energy-hungry economy and has developed strong ties with many countries on the continent by investing, loaning or donating billions of dollars. -- AFP
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