China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi arrived Sunday in Algiers on the next stop of his Africa tour, planning to reinforce economic ties between the two countries, Algeria's foreign ministry said.
During his 48-hour visit, when he will also meet his Algerian counterpart, Yang will sign with Algeria a protocol on economic cooperation and an agreement on judicial mutual assistance for civilian and commercial affairs.
Algiers and Beijing have been building economic relations over the last decade, with Algeria launching two economic revival plans in 2001 and 2005 to develop and modernise its basic infrastructure and housing.
In 2009 commercial trade between the two countries reached 4.46 billion dollars (3 billion euros), an 8.8 percent increase from 2008.
Chinese investment in Algeria grew to 900 million dollars (625 million euros), according to the Chinese embassy in Algiers.
Approximately 30,000 Chinese currently live in the North African country.
Last year, dozens of Chinese traders clashed with local shopkeepers in the Algerian capital after a heated exchange between an Algerian storekeeper and a Chinese businessman.
Chinese traders who sell goods at cut throat prices have sparked growing local resentment.
Yang has already been to Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone on his African tour, and is due to continue on to Morocco.
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