BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met respectively with some African officials in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province.
Their discussions covered a range of topics, including strengthening bilateral relations, enhancing multilateral cooperation, and safeguarding the development interests of African countries.
During his meeting with Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who was in China to attend the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the importance of Uganda as a major African nation and an emerging economy. Wang pointed out the successes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last autumn, with tangible outcomes already visible in Uganda, including a remarkable 90-percent increase in Uganda’s exports to China in the first quarter of this year.
He reiterated China’s confidence in the future of China-Uganda relations and expressed China’s willingness to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, ensuring a healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral ties.
On multilateral cooperation, Wang highlighted the ongoing strategic coordination between China and Uganda in international forums, notably their joint efforts to protect the legitimate rights and interests of African and developing countries.
“China is ready to work with Uganda and our African brothers and sisters to support the practice of multilateralism, oppose unilateral bullying and uphold the basic norms of international relations,” Wang told Nabbanja.
Prime Minister Nabbanja expressed Uganda’s gratitude for China’s long-standing support in her country’s infrastructure development and economic growth. She also highlighted the successful cooperation within the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the FOCAC.
Meeting with Liberia’s Vice President Jeremiah Koung, who was in China to attend the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, Wang congratulated Liberia on its recent election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation, particularly in support of developing nations’ rights and interests. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
