Beijing, 31 December 2021 (TDI): State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China will visit Africa and Asia. The upcoming visit to the African countries keeps up the tradition of Chinese Foreign Ministers’ choosing Africa for their first overseas visit every year for the 32nd consecutive time.
Commenting on the fact, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian stated that the upcoming visit to Africa illustrates the tremendous significance China gives to its traditional friendship with Africa as well as the development of China-Africa relations.
Chines President at 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC
He highlighted that the Chines President, Xi Jinping called for joint efforts at the eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) which was successfully held in Senegal earlier.
The President urged to boost and carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and partnership along with building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. In this regard, he announced significant cooperation initiatives including nine programs, which have been warmly welcomed by the African countries.
Visit of Chinese Foreign Minister to Africa
He further emphasized that the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister to Africa aims to promote the enactment of the outcomes of the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference.
Wang Yi will also discuss new measures for pragmatic collaboration between China and Africa during his visit along with supporting African countries in vanquishing COVID-19 and attaining economic revival at the earliest. This demonstrates that China takes efficient and results-oriented actions, and always stays true to its word.
Visit of Chinese Foreign Minister to Asia
About the Foreign Minister’s visit to the South Asian countries, Zhao Lijian pointed out that it comes at the 50th anniversary of China-Maldives diplomatic relations, the 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations, as well as the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact.
China and the two South Asian countries are traditional friends and important partners with deep practical cooperation, high-level exchange, the same or similar positions on many regional and international issues, and broad common interests.
China has stood together with the Maldives and Sri Lanka, during the once-in-a-century changing landscape and pandemic. Consequently, it will help them to overcome ordeals with efficacious anti-epidemic collaboration and neighborhood diplomacy featuring mutual benefit, amity, inclusiveness, and sincerity.
The Chinese spokesperson underscored that the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister will provide an opportunity of celebrating the anniversaries to deepen traditional friendship, strengthen solidarity against COVID-19, enhance political mutual trust, increase coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs and upgrade practical cooperation including under the BRI framework.
