China to enhance peace and security cooperation with the AU: envoy

China will further enhance peace and security cooperation with the AU, the Chinese ambassador to the AU said on Sunday. 

The photo shows the AU Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Conference Center for the African Union is sponsored by the Chinese government. [Photo: guancha.cn]

Speaking to Xinhua, Kuang Weilin, Chinese ambassador to the AU, said peace and security is a major area China cooperates with the AU and African countries with military assistance and security training programs.

He was speaking at the end of the 7th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, held at the northern Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar on April 21-22. 

China is currently working closely with the AU to implement a 2015 pledge to provide 100 million U.S. dollars in military aid to the African Standby Force (ASF), Kuang said.

"I understand that a lot of progress has been made regarding the implementation in providing peacekeeping equipment. Very soon we will see the outcome of the implementation," he said.

"Without peace and security there can be no development, so we will do as much as we can to contribute to the peace and security of the continent," Kuang said.