BEIJING, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi called on a group of Africa-bound experts and volunteers to provide good service to their African hosts.

At a farewell ceremony held in Beijing Friday, she urged the 100 professionals to dedicate their "expertise and youth" to "adding a new page to Sino-African cooperation and friendship".

The expedition is part of China's commitment to Africa that President Hu Jintao announced last November at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The group features 58 agricultural and 16 malarial experts bound for 30 African nations, such as Mali, Sudan and Mozambique. Also included are 26 young volunteers who will work in education and medical services in Mauritius, Tunisia and Eritrea.

Moussa Bouh Odowa, the Djibouti ambassador to China, said China had sent many experts to Africa for economic and medical assistance since 1956. The new arrivals would help boost the development of the Sino-African strategic partnership.

In the past year, China has written off multi-billions in U.S. dollar debt owed by 28 African countries. It has also pledged to provide three billion U.S. dollars in preferential loans to the continent and to further open its market to African products.

Trade between China and Africa reached 52.3 billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months and would surpass 70 billion dollars by year end, Wei Jianguo, Deputy Minister of Commerce, said earlier this week.