China will continue to support Africa's development and progress, and enhance exchanges and cooperation with African countries, said Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan in Beijing Thursday.

At the opening of the Sino-African Seminar on Economic Reform and Development Strategies Tang said China, as a developing country, hopes to exchange experiences with African nations on reform and development issues, and jointly explore with African countries development paths suited to their own conditions.

Omar Kabbaj, president of the African Development Bank (ADB), made a speech at the opening ceremony.

Senior officials and diplomats from about 20 African Countries attended the two-day seminar, which was sponsored by the People's Bank of China and the ADB.

The participants will survey rural development, poverty relief and small and medium sized enterprises in Xi'an and Shanghai.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2003)