A Chinese official expressed his country's readiness to finance projects in Tunisia in return for Tunisia's offering greater facilities to Chinese investors.

Trade and Tourism Minister Mehdi Houas reviewed, during a working session held Thursday in Tunis with China's Deputy Trade Minister Fu Ziying, prospects for investment projects in Tunisia. He suggested their financing as part of the Chinese-African partnership mechanism.

These projects consist in the building of a 6-star tourist complex and an industrial free-trade zone for the production of electrical household appliances to be mainly marketed in Europe.

The Chinese official is presently on a working visit in Tunisia (April 20-23), leading a delegation of Government officials, businessmen and representatives of the banking sector.

He extended an official invitation to Tunisia to take part in the Chinese-Arab Co-operation Forum, to be held in China in June 2011.

Beijing had set up a Chinese-African co-operation mechanism to access the African market. This mechanism provides credit lines to 49 African countries.