Visiting African trade union leaders said Wednesday China's assistance to Africa is "sincere" and "selfless", which has brought "concrete benefits" to African countries and people.

Altogether 26 trade union leaders from 17 African countries are here to attend a seminar on China-Africa trade union cooperation.

Alphaus Vehonga Muheua, president of the National Union of Namibian Workers, told Xinhua that China is engaged in African countries' infrastructure construction or providing loans according to their real needs.

He said many public facilities in Namibia including stadiums and roads are built with the aid of China. "We are now busy building the State House in our capital. It is a China-sponsored project," he added.

China's aid to Africa dates back to 1950s. In the past 50-odd years, China has aided nearly 900 projects in Africa related to economic and social development, sent 16,000 person-times of medical care personnel to Africa, offered government scholarship for 50 African countries and sent more than 3,000 officers and soldiers to carry out the United Nations task of safeguarding peace in Africa.

China has also eliminated tariff on 190 categories of products exporting from 29 least developed African countries to China.

"China is the first country that support and help us take up arms and strive for liberation. We regard the country as our brother or sister," Muheua said.

China and Africa have very comprehensive economic and trade ties. Trade volume between the two sides reached nearly 40 billion U.S. dollars in 2005, 10 times of that in 1995.

Meanwhile, China has set up more than 800 enterprises in Africa.

With regard to some African businessmen' concern that China's investment and export to Africa may pose threat to their domestic industry, Muheua said the Chinese products are very popular in Africa as they have lower price and good quality.

"Such situation may bring pressure to African business people," he acknowledged. He suggested African businessmen link up with their Chinese counterparts, and import products from China in a bid to reduce the cost.

Gideon Shoko, deputy secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, expressed the hope that China would offer more help in terms of technical transfer and skill training.

Lots of these African trade union leaders are on their first-ever China trip. Shoko said an important task of his current trip is to set up cooperative ties with the Chinese trade unions.

He hopes trade unions between the two sides can exchange information, and provide background information for the businessmen before they invest in each other's country.

During the seminar, Chinese and African trade union leaders exchanged views on the subject of economic globalization and China-Africa trade union cooperation, seeking ways to facilitate cooperation between the trade unions. Enditem