China has agreed to endorse Mozambique as a new tourist destination in an effort to intensify bilateral cooperation in the tourism industry and boost mutual development, Chinese President Hu Jintao told visiting Mozambican President Armando Guebuza in Beijing Saturday.

This has raised the number of tourism destination countries for Chinese tourists in Africa to at least 13, including Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Zambia, Namibia, Seychelles, Rwanda, Nigeria and Cameroon.

During his meeting with Guebuza, Hu said the two countries have maintained friendly relations and all-round cooperation. "The Chinese government will continue to provide aids and will encourage Chinese companies to invest in Mozambique."

He said key areas for China-Mozambique cooperation include infrastructure construction and agriculture.

Chinese experts, doctors and business people have played an active role in Mozambique's social and economic development, for which the Mozambican people are grateful, said Guebuza.

He said his country wishes to expand cooperation with China, particularly in infrastructure construction and personnel training.

Guebuza arrived here on Friday for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which opened Saturday morning.

China and Mozambique established diplomatic ties on July 25, 1975, the very day when Mozambique declared independence. Bilateral trade amounted to 165 million U.S. dollars last year.

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