China grants the Comoros a financial assistance worth 30 million yuan (US$4.3 million) under an agreement signed on Sunday evening during a visit by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun to Moroni, capital of the Indian Ocean island nation.

According to the visiting Chinese diplomat, the Comoros will come up with a list of priority projects to benefit from the funding.

Upon his arrival on Sunday morning, Zhai was received by President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, Speaker of the National Assembly Bourhane Hamidou and Minister for External Relations Ahmed Ben Said Jaffar.

In their talks, Zhai and Jaffar discussed the cooperation between the two countries, especially cultural exchanges ranging from an increase of Chinese scholarships to the assistance to the young Comoros University.

Accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to the Comoros Tao Weiguang, the Chinese vice minister paid a courtesy call to Speaker Hamidou. In their talks, Zhai urged continued support from the Comoros to the one-China policy.

(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2010)