国内英语新闻:China, Mauritius sign about 9 million U.S. dollars economic cooperation accord

PORT LOUIS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- China has signed an economic and trade cooperation accord with Mauritius worth about 9 million U.S. dollars, including 6 million dollars grant and 3 million dollars interest-free loan.

The accord was signed on Friday and the signing ceremony was attended by visiting Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and Mauritius Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

According to the accord, the grant and loan will fund projects agreed on by the two governments in the future.

Hui and Jugnauth also agreed on boosting cooperation in science and culture and implementing the programs of the accord signed by the two sides.

Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu (Central L) meets with Mauritius Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development Pravind Kumar Jugnauth (Central R) in Port Louis, Mauritius, Jan. 7, 2011.

Hui also met Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam in the capital of Port Louis on Friday when he started a three-day official visit to Mauritius.

During the meeting, Hui commended the bilateral cooperation since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1972 and the promising trend to further strengthen the ties in cultural exchange, education and tourism.

He thanked the Mauritius government for its support on issues concerning the core interests of China.

Hui noted that the two countries should keep pushing for extensive cooperation and high level exchange of visits, continue to building political trust between the two governments and implement the measures in the framework of China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

Ramgoolam also spoke highly of the fruitful cooperation between the two countries and thanked China for the assistance in improving the country's infrastructure including a new international airport which is under construction.

Hui held talks with Mauritius opposition leader Paul Berenger on Saturday afternoon before he wraps up his visit to Mauritius, the first leg of his five-African country tour which will also take him to Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Senegal.