(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-12 14:08

DAKAR -- Former French President Jacques Chirac said here on Tuesday that China-Africa cooperation benefits not only China and Africa, but Europe.

Chirac, who arrived here on Tuesday afternoon, told the local media that "China and Africa have a long history of contact. With China's heft on the international arena growing, China's role in Africa is also increasing.I think it is a positive thing."

"It is good for China, Africa and Europe, because (in this process) China has gained new room to develop itself, Africa has got new investment and Europe has been stimulated to be competitive," he added.

The former president went on to say that China needs to take more responsibilities for Africa and make more efforts in such areas as helping Africa solve its unemployment problems, ensuring a reasonable exploitation of its resources and permanently sustainable use of its forests, and facilitating its environmental protection.

As for the controversial negotiations at the just concluded 2nd EU-African summit for EU-African economic partnership agreements, Chirac said that the deals neglected the African economic reality.

If they are implemented, the weak African national industries will be seriously threatened. The African market will be inundated with European products, but Africa will not get any real rewards.

Therefore, the former president said, the time is not yet ripe to sign such agreements, and that the European Union should give African countries, particularly those less developed, more preferential treatment.