China writes off $ 1.2 bln in African debt

China announced it will write off $ 1.2 billion of African poorest countries' debt.

The move was announced Wednesday by Chinese external trade and economic cooperation minister, Shi Guangsheng.

China undertakes to contribute to alleviating African countries' debt by writing off in the two years to come $ 1.2 billion in debt of the poorest countries of the continent, Guangsheng told the first China-Africa cooperation forum, which started Wednesday in Beijing.

The official did not, however, specify the countries to benefit from the move.

Morocco is represented in the Beijing meeting by finance, economy, tourism and privatization minister, Fathallah Oualalou, and secretary of state for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taieb Fassi Fihri.