Hu Jintao starts African tour
China's President Hu Jintao is starting an eight-nation tour of Africa that will include Sudan, South Africa and Zambia.
Before he left, China announced $3 billion in preferential loans and more aid over the next three years for Africa. Trade has expanded dramatically between Africa and China in recent years as China seeks resources to feed its economy and markets for its exports.
Africa supplies one-third of China's imported oil.
It is Mr. Hu's third trip to Africa since he took office in 2003.
China has been urged to use its influence as a big oil customer of Sudan's to lobby the government in Khartoum to resolve the conflict in Darfur.
Beijing has been criticised for selling weapons to countries like Zimbabwe and flooding Africa with cheap goods that threaten local industries.
Mr. Hu's tour will also take him to Cameroon, Liberia, Namibia, Mozambique and Seychelles.
