Premier Li’s visit cements China-Africa relationship

Premier Li Keqiang Sunday concluded an eight-day visit to Africa, which cemented China's solid presence in the emerging continent and ushered in an era of upgraded Sino-African cooperation. [Special coverage]

The trip took Li to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola and Kenya. Throughout the premier's Africa tour, he pledged a series of financial assistance and sharing of advanced technologies with the continent.

"Progress is expected in Africa's cross-border and cross-regional integration, which implies extensive investment opportunities for infrastructure construction. It means huge opportunity for China," said Liu Hongwu, dean of the Center for African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University.

In Nigeria, China Railway Construction Corporation secured a $12.8-billion project to build a coastal rail link.

Meanwhile, the premier has on many occasions noted that the Chinese government supports relocating China's proper labor-intensive industries to Africa on a priority basis.

"It has secured China's predominant position in cooperation with Africa and its economic presence on the continent, as other parties, including the US, Europe and Japan, are all trying to compete for influence in Africa," Zhao Changhui, chief country risk analyst with the Export-Import Bank of China, told the Global Times.

Li also said that China will help Africa build its capacity in peacekeeping, anti-terrorism and counter-piracy.

China and east African countries signed agreements on Sunday on the construction of a new railway to run from Mombasa to Nairobi and on to neighboring states.