Officials, experts hail Chinese aid for Yemeni development

China is one of the first foreign countries to provide support to the infrastructure in Yemen and remains one of the most important supporters of the impoverished country whose woes were deepened lately, mainly in the 2011 unrest, Yemeni senior officials and experts told Xinhua.

Eqbal Yasin, Yemen's first deputy minister of industry and trade, said the Chinese aid has played a positive role in Yemen and remains one of the most important factors for the two countries to keep and develop the bilateral ties.

"China provides direct support to the Yemeni economic institutions and sectors with a focus on building organizational capacity, which makes the Chinese aid distinguished," Eqbal said.

"Most of the training and technical aid or scholarships for the Yemeni cadres is provided by China and this is very helpful. I was impressed by the impact of Chinese aid at some sectors, such as healthcare services and education, especially technical and vocational education," he said.

"Yemen and China have built strong ties and cooperation between the two countries and Chinese aid will definitely serve the deep- rooted ties," he added.

Nonetheless, Yemen still looks forward to more Chinese aid, he said, adding the Chinese government also grants its aid to other infrastructure, mainly roads in Yemen.

China was one of the countries which provided direct aid to Yemen. It built the first highway between Yemeni capital Sanaa and the western port city of Hodeida, and in recent years it has financed and carried out many projects in main cities, such as key bridges and hospitals in Sanaa.

Meanwhile, Taha Al-Fusaiyel, an advisor to Yemen's industry and trade ministry and also an economics professor of Sanaa University, told Xinhua that the two countries established unique bilateral ties that continue to grow in the best interest of their peoples.

"Healthcare, educational and road projects that China has built in Yemen are landmarks and indicate the strong bilateral ties that will continue for good," he said.

"The Chinese aid to such projects largely helped Yemen. For example, the bridges built with financial aid from China contributed to alleviating traffic jam in Sanaa," he continued.

"China is almost the largest consumer of Yemen's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Yemen is one of the key markets for various Chinese products," he said, calling on the Asian giant to continue to increase investments and aid in Yemen.

"I hope more Chinese investments and aid, mainly to the industrial sector, will flow into Yemen," he said, "We need to learn from China's experience in various fields including absorbing foreign aid and agriculture."

For his part, Mustafa Nasr, head of the studies and economic media center, said the Chinese aid to Yemen is "very distinguished and can be seen by the Yemeni public."

"China provides aid to key sectors which lead to direct, obvious results in Yemen," he said, "Doubtless, the Chinese aid has served the development process in the country."

Marzouk Abdulwadoud, head of the economic and social development researches center "ESDR", said the Chinese aid has been reflected on stability in Yemen.

"When we see donors focus their aid to democracy, rights and wars, China directs its aid to the economic sector and helps build up the capacity of the Yemeni cadres. And the Chinese aid can be touched in our country very clearly," he stressed.