Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (2nd R) are welcomed by Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete (2nd L) and his wife Salma Kikwete (1st R) upon their arrival in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, March 24, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo's inclusion in the itinerary of Chinese President Xi Jinping's maiden foreign trip will boost China-Africa cooperation, analysts have predicted.

Liu Hongwu, dean of African studies at east China's Zhejiang Normal University, said Africa is seeking strategic balance in the course of thorough cooperation with various powers of the world.

European officials have credited China with taking an increasingly important role in African peacekeeping, notably in the country's positive talks with Europe over the recent crisis in Mali.

According to Xu Wei, director of Asia-Africa development research institute at the State Council's Development Research Center, the new generation of African leaders have showed varied attitudes toward China despite generally higher expectations of the world's second-largest economy. This disparity calls for a proper coping style.

Xu urged that China should establish more profound relations with regional organizations like the African Union, Southern African Development Community and the Economic Community of West African States as these groups play roles that are key to developing Africa.

Recent comments in Western media describing China's deeds in Africa as "new colonialism" have been criticized by both Chinese official statements and African local experts.

Referring to African projects aided by China, He Wenping, a West-Asian and African studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, described problems with China's labor, capital and influences on the local environment as "growing pains."

He suggested China's Ministry of Commerce should make stricter demands of Chinese enterprises to abide by local laws and protect local environment.

Zhejiang Normal University's Liu also advised more regulations from local Chinese embassy.

Xi Jinping, then vice president of China on July 10, 2012, hailed the rapid development of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa in a keynote speech at the second China-Africa People's Forum.

Such a cooperation has been transferred from a government-dominated level to more and more non-governmental, industrial and social sectors, according to Liu.

Exchanges among officials, academics, business people and volunteers are booming between China and Africa, which makes it highly likely that the two sides will continue to develop hand in hand, He Wenping said.

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