Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) – China has given a grant of 250 million rupees (about US$8.5 million) and an interest-free loan of the same amount to Mauritius, according to Mauritian Finance and Economic Development Minister Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo.
He said that the pacts for the grant and the loan would further enhance friendly relations between Mauritius and China and bring the economic and technical cooperation to new heights.
According to him, both countries will build on this foundation to achieve higher development goals through established and innovative modes of cooperation, including a mutually-beneficial transfer of capital, technology and business opportunities.
”China remains a strategic partner to Mauritius for having always extended both technical and financial support for the economic development of the country,” he said, recalling that Mauritius is being positioned as an important economic platform between China and Africa in terms of facilitating investment flow into China and vice-versa.
Official cooperation between China and Mauritius dates back to 1972.
Mauritius has so far obtained, from China, about 36 billion rupees (US$1.2 billion) in the form of grants, interest-free and commercial loans to implement key infrastructure projects, such as the airport, roads, housing, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, the sewerage system and the water sector.
