China started a training course for Asian and African officials on maritime rescue management on Wednesday at a naval institute in Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province.

The seminar at the Naval Submarine Academy is sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce. The officials will finish courses in 45 days. It is the first time for the academy to train such officials for Asian and African countries.

The academy is China's naval training center for personnel in diving of all kinds, risk prevention and rescue, salvation and underwater demolition.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2004)