VILLAGE URUGWIRO-China’s deputy Minister for Commerce, Gao Hucheng, yesterday paid a courtesy call on President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro and discussed the current trade and bilateral relations between the two countries and how they can be improved.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the President, Hucheng who is also the Chinese International Trade Representative, said that he is leading a Chinese trade and economic delegation, to advance his country’s cooperation with Rwanda.

"There are two objectives for my visit to Rwanda; first is to implement the new aid policy measures announced at the fourth ministerial conference at the forum on cooperation between Africa and China in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and to discuss with relevant line ministries how we can advance trade and economic cooperation,” he said.

During the meeting, President Kagame requested Hucheng to pass on his greetings and best wishes to President Hu Jintao and the Premier of China.

Addressing journalists, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo, said that Rwanda considers China a very important partner and of recent, the Chinese bilateral cooperation with Rwanda had improved.

"We consider Chinese investment in Rwanda a major part of our investment scheme and part of the Minister’s visit in Rwanda is to look at ways to continue improving our cooperation, particularly in trade and investment,” Mushikiwabo said.

"We will also sign six different protocols, including interest-free loans, a grant and a number of letters for feasibility studies in areas of infrastructure, capacity building, health, education and others”.

The eight aid policy measures announced at the Sharm El Sheikh meeting, include strengthening agricultural exchanges and cooperation, cooperation in medical care and public health, education and human resources development, and to strengthen cooperation in clean energy development and utilisation.

Ends