The world economic crisis will not impact China's aid to Africa, Vice Commerce Minister Fu Ziying said on Wednesday.

Chinese aid projects in Africa are well underway, and China hopes the African continent will benefit from them as early as possible, Fu said at the start of the second Experiencing-Sharing Program on Development Between China and Africa.

In the past three years, China has aided 34 African countries in dealing with government debt, provided 102 projects involving loans on favorable terms, and trained 25, 000 professionals for African countries, Fu said.

He said China has also imposed zero custom duties on more than 400 kinds of African products in order to boost bilateral trade, which increased45 percent year-on-year to US$106.8 billion in 2008.

More than 100 participants, including high-ranking government officials from 21 countries in central and west Africa and World Bank Vice President Sanjay Pradhan, are attending the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2009)