BEIJING, China, April 25 (NNN-XINHUA) – Chinese President, Xi Jinping, met with Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali, ahead of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held from today to April 27 in Beijing.
While stressing that Ethiopia is an important partner of China in Africa, Xi said, both China and Ethiopia are developing countries that have relied on their own efforts, to pioneer development paths that suited their own specific national conditions.
Xi said, China supports Ethiopia’s efforts in maintaining stability, developing economy and improving livelihood, and is willing to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges with Ethiopia, understand and support each other, on issues involving respective core interests and major concerns.
He said, China will advance bilateral cooperation of mutual benefits, help Ethiopia improve its abilities in industrialisation and in earning foreign exchange through exports, and keep close communication and coordination with Ethiopia, in international and regional affairs concerning climate change and the situation in the Horn of Africa.
Xi said, China is willing to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, by jointly building the Belt and Road and by implementing the results achieved at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, so as to better benefit the people of the two countries.
While hailing China as the most reliable friend and the most cherished partner of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali said, Ethiopia will actively take part in the building of the Belt and Road.
He said, China has always respected African countries and never imposed its own will on them, adding that, African countries think highly of China’s cooperation principles, Xi put forward at the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and that they fully agree on advancing Belt and Road’s international cooperation under the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.– NNN-XINHUA
