China's trade with Africa has expanded rapidly in the past five years and more and more Chinese businesses are investing in the continent.

Wei Jianguo, vice commerce minister, said on Monday that Chinese consumers liked African commodities. He cited South African diamonds, Egyptian marble, Ethiopian sesame, Ugandan coffee, Gabon lumber and tobacco from Zimbabwe.

Wei said China-made commodities that are attractive in terms of price and quality are likewise welcomed by African consumers. China's exports of textiles, clothing and furniture keep growing steadily, while home electrical appliances, cell phones, motor vehicles and other electronic and new- and high-tech products have begun to take a bigger share of sales to Africa.

According to Wei, last year China-Africa trade amounted to 55.5 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year growth of more than 30 percent for the fifth consecutive year.

The total includes 26.7 billion U.S. dollars in exports to Africa, up 43 percent, and 28.8 billion U.S. dollars in imports, up 37 percent.

China has decided to scrap tariffs on more than 440 sorts of African commodities.

The Chinese government encourages capable and trustworthy firms to invest in Africa and localize production there.

By the end of 2006, Wei said, China had invested more than 6.6 billion U.S. dollars in Africa, mainly in agriculture, telecommunication, energy and processing sectors.

In 2006 alone, China's direct investments on the African continent reached 370 million U.S. dollars, as against 280 million U.S. dollars a year earlier.