"We will offer zero tariff rates to some products from about 30 least developed countries," the official Xinhua news agency quoted Finance Minister Jin Renqing as saying.

The 10 member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations, Bangladesh and Sudan were among the countries the preferential rates would apply to, Jin said.

Hu used his speech at the UN summit in September to underscore China's support for the developing world, calling on rich countries to open markets and forgive debt.

But his offer excluded countries that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

Friday's report did not mention Taiwan, but both have been accused of using aid and soft loans to buy diplomatic recognition in small, developing countries.

At global trade talks in Hong Kong this week, Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said it was up to rich countries to offer more concessions to poorer countries.

But he added that despite its power as the world's third-largest trading nation, China's agriculture industry remained Third World and should receive the same special protections as other developing countries.