President Isaias Afwerki and his host, President Xi Jinping, held extensive talks yesterday evening in Beijing on enhancement of strategic bilateral ties and regional matters.
President Isaias expressed his profound gratitude to President Xi Jinping for the kind invitation extended to him and his delegation. President Isaias further recalled his first visit and stay in China in 1967. The President stated that those momentous times had left extraordinary experience on him and his comrades.
President Isaias added that even though Eritrea and China established formal diplomatic ties in 1993, their practical ties of friendship and cooperation had begun in earnest before 60 years. In this context, President Isaias expressed appreciation for the support that the People’s Republic of China had extended to the struggle of the Eritrean people for Independence.
Indicating that China, in the space of three quarters of a century, has registered exponential progress to emerge as the first economic power, President Isaias applauded the historical contributions that the People’s Republic of China has made to humanity in the past 75 years. These realities have instilled high hopes and aspirations in developing countries on the PRC’s higher contribution in the promotion of global stability and development.
In this connection, President Isaias underlined that, notwithstanding the challenges, the world is increasingly extricating itself from the domination of big powers and embarking on a new international order whose hallmarks are prevalence of justice and mutual respect between peoples and nations.
President Isaias elaborated on Eritrea’s broad multi-sectoral development programs for the short, medium and long terms.
President Xi Jinping on his part stated that China views its bilateral ties with Eritrea from a strategic and long term perspective and stressed that China is a reliable friend of Eritrea.
President Xi further noted that against the backdrop of the current international situation, which is characterized by instability and uncertainty, a sound China-Eritrea relationship not only serves the common and long term interests of the two countries, but is also of great significance to regional peace and international fairness and justice.
President Xi also applauded Eritrea’s firm adherence to an independent foreign policy.
On bilateral economic cooperation President Xi Jinping also expressed readiness of Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in various sectors including construction, telecommunications, agriculture, mining and fisheries.
President Isaias also met and held talks with Prime Minister Li Qiang. At the meeting Prime Minister Qiang congratulated President Isaias in connection with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the formal diplomatic relations between China and Eritrea.
Prime Minister Qiang stated that bilateral ties between the two countries have transcended normative diplomatic ties to constitute strategic relationship and tangible cooperation.
President Isaias for his part underlined that Eritrea-China ties go back to almost 60 years and expressed profound gratitude to the Communist Party of China for extending moral and material support to the struggle of the Eritrean people for independence.
The two sides also discussed a broad range of areas for investment and development cooperation including in the sectors of manufacturing, coastal development, blue economy, digital economy, mining, education, health and human capacity development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Source: Apo-Opa
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