QINGDAO, June 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting party officials from nineAfrican countries visited a national economic development zone here Tuesday, speaking highly of the social and economic development of Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province.

　　The delegates to ured the Qingdao port in the development zone. As one of the top five ports in China, with an annual handling capacity of 120 million tons, Qingdao port has established business relations with over 450 ports of more than 140 countries and regions in the world.

　　"Qingdao port has done very well in cooperating with transnational companies and absorbing foreign investment," said Allele Elhadji Habibou, head of the delegation. "There is a lot wecan learn from it."

　　The Qingdao Port Group has established over 20 joint ventures with several multinational companies, including the world's top two shipping companies like Maersk Co. Ltd from Denmark and P&O Group from the United Kingdom.

　　Habibou hoped the Qingdao port can share its experiences with those African countries, in a bid to enhance mutual cooperation and understanding.

　　In the afternoon, the delegation also visited the museum of Tsingtao Beer Group, China's most renowned and largest beer producer, with a capacity of 3.7 million tons of beer and 12 percent market share in China last year.

　　During an hour-long visit, the African party officials not only got to know the 100-year growing history of Tsingtao Beer Group, but also enjoyed fresh beer for free.

　　"It tastes very good," said Assedi from Togo, while sipping from a glass. "Hope that one day I can drink the marvelous Tsingtao beer in my country."

　　At the invitation of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the delegation is paying a 16-day visit in China. They visited Beijing and northeast China's Heilongjiang Province last week and will head for Zhucheng, a city famous for its booming township enterprises in eastern Shandong Province, on Wednesday.

　　The nine ruling parties from African countries are Seychelles People's Progressive Front, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, Cameroon People's Democratic Rally, Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, Rally of the Togolese People, Tiako I Mada-gasikara, National Movement for Social Development of Niger, Party of Unity and Progress of Guinea, Popular Rally for Progress of Djibouti.