African debts to be written off

China will write off debts owed by 33 African countries to honor the pledge it made at the Sino-African Forum in November, the Ministry of Commerce said yesterday.

The announcement came on the eve of President Hu Jintao's departure on an African trip which will take him to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and the Seychelles.

The ministry did not reveal the total amount of debt which became due at the end of 2005 to be waived this year.