BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China's experience with poverty reduction should be valued by African countries, and it is self-evident that African countries can learn much from China's development, the Angolan Vice-Minister of Planning said here at an international symposium.

About 60 senior government officials, experts and envoys from 17 countries in eastern and southern Africa attended the symposium, "The Experience Sharing Program on Development Between China and Africa" held on Tuesday in Beijing.

Before the opening ceremony, the participants stood solemnly and observed a one-minute silence for the Chinese quake victims.

Jim Adams, Regional Vice President in East Asia and the Pacific of the World Bank, said, "We believe the Chinese government will be able to overcome the catastrophe, and the World Bank is willing to offer help to assist the relief work."

The participants highlighted the great progress achieved by China with respect to poverty reduction, reforms and development in rural areas, infrastructure construction, the opening up policy and other issues.

Chinese Vice Minister of Finance said China will join with its African counterparts to probe useful experience or develop models as a reference for underdeveloped African countries.

New World Bank Chief Economist Justin Lin also made a speech on China's experience, titled "China's Development Experience: Challenges, Approaches and What Have We learned."

Lin is to take up his post next month. He is now the director of the China Center for Economic Research at Peking University.

The program was sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development to explore how China's economic and investment policy experience could inform Africa's efforts to accelerate its economic and social progress.

The African participants were mostly senior officials from countries in eastern and southern Africa, such as Sudan, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Rwanda. The participants will be divided into two groups to attend the field visit program to China's prosperous rural areas in the provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guangdong and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The 10-day symposium is to last until May 29.

Source: Xinhua