BEIJING, Nov 5: Chinese and African leaders wrapped up their biggest summit since the founding of Communist China in 1949 on Sunday, signing $1.9 billion deals as Beijing builds its influence in the resource-rich continent.

The deals, signed between 12 Chinese firms and African governments and companies, followed Chinese President Hu Jintao's pledge on Saturday to offer $5 billion in loans and credit, and to double aid to Africa by 2009.

The delegates called for increased African involvement at the United Nations, and announced a new type of strategic partnership and “action plan” that charts cooperation over the next three years in politics, the economy, international affairs and social development.

“We hold that the world today is undergoing complex and profound changes, and that the pursuit of peace, development and cooperation has become the trend of the times,” said Hu, reading out their declaration on Sunday.

Delegates from nearly 50 African nations descended on Beijing for the weekend summit.

Xinhua said the deals agreed on Sunday involved 11 African countries and covered areas such as infrastructure, telecoms and technological equipment, mineral resource development and insurance.

China, the world's fourth-largest economy and second-largest energy user, is keen to secure oil, gas and mineral resources from Africa, to fuel its rapid, raw-material-intensive economic expansion.

But the summit was largely about handshakes and banquets, and was seen as an opportunity for Beijing to prove its credentials at hosting a major event ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Beijing had rolled out the red carpet for some 1,700 delegates and hundreds of journalists, and introduced strict traffic measures, heightened security and spruced up roads and tourist sites.

The declaration called for enhancing South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue to promote “balanced, coordinated and sustainable development of the global economy”.—Reuters