China Flexes with $10 Billion Pledge for Africa's Development; West Wary

China promised to lend a coalition of African countries some $10 billion over the next three years in unconditional, clean development aid as concerns grew from critics about China’s motives.

At the beginning of a two day Asian-African summit held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt starting Sunday, China intends to roll out a three year proposal to fund green energy development projects aimed at solidifying the growing relationship between the two continents.

“We will help Africa build up financing capacity," said Chinese Premier Wen JiabaoWen JiabaoWen Jiabao, the spokesperson for the Chinese delegation. "We will provide $10 billion in concessional loans to African countries."

Wary of China’s growing influence, Western nations pegged the move as motivated by greed and exploitation of African resources.

Wen dismissed those rumbles as noise.

Wen instead concentrated on China’s growing role in the Continent and justified China’s pledge by referring to the history of its continuing support. Wen said that its relationship with China has been for over five decades helping the countries throw off the yoke of colonialism.

"The Chinese people cherish sincere friendship toward the African people, and China's support to Africa's development is concrete and real," Wen said at a forum that attracted leaders such as Sudan's Omar el-Bashir and Zimbabwe's Robert MugabeRobert MugabeRobert Mugabe — heads of state out-of-favor with the West.

"Whatever change that may take place in the world, our friendship with African people will not change," Wen said. "Our commitment to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation ... will not change, and our policy of supporting Africa's economic and social development will not change."

Wen told the press corps that China would help build energy projects that cover solar power, biogas and small hydro plants. Other initiatives under the plan include training of African professional, building new schools, and working toward a zero tariff treatment for 95 percent of the products from the least developed countries that have relations with Beijing.