Foreign minister inks Chad deals

China's foreign minister Li Zhaoxing signed a series of deals with his Chadian counterpart Ahmat Allami, including a "preferential loan" of some US$26 million dollars and a deal to cancel millions of dollars of debt owed by Chad to Beijing, AFP reported. The deals followed talks with Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno. It was the fourth stop on a seven-state African visit by Li to strengthen ties with continent. Li arrived from the west central African nation of Guinea Bissau, which said it received US$4 million from China after talks between Li and President Joao Bernardo Vieira. Li has also visited Benin and Equatorial Guinea. He is next due to visit the Central African Republic, Eritrea and Botswana.