The Ethiopian Herald has sat down with Shen Shiwei, non-resident research fellow of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University. He has touched upon a broad range of issues related to the comprehensive relationship between Ethiopia and China.
What is your reflection on the overall relationship between China and Ethiopia?
China and Ethiopia have a comprehensive and profound relationship. The two countries are all-weather strategic partners. They enjoy deepening political mutual trust and have carried out extensive cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, culture and people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
How would you describe the current state of cooperation between Ethiopia and China regarding development efforts?
The cooperation between China and Ethiopia in development is in a booming state. The two sides have deeply connected their development strategies. China has become Ethiopia’s largest trading partner, contractor of engineering projects and source of investment. There is fruitful cooperation in infrastructure construction, trade and investment, and technology transfer.
How do you assess the mutual benefits arising from the collaboration between China and Ethiopia?
For China, it helps to expand the international market, access resources and technical cooperation opportunities in Ethiopia, and promote the internationalization of Chinese enterprises. For Ethiopia, China’s investment and technical support have promoted Ethiopia’s infrastructure construction, economic development, industrialization process, and improvement of people’s livelihood. It has also helped Ethiopia cultivate a large number of technical and management talents.
Can you discuss the economic impact of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway on trade and transport in Ethiopia?
The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway has greatly promoted Ethiopia’s transportation capacity, reduced transportation costs, and improved transportation efficiency. It has strengthened Ethiopia’s connection with the outside world, promoted the growth of import and export trade, and attracted more investment. It has also driven the development of related industries such as logistics and manufacturing, and provided strong impetus for Ethiopia’s economic development.
What technology transfers have occurred between China and Ethiopia, and how have they been received?
China has transferred technologies in many aspects to Ethiopia, including infrastructure construction technology, manufacturing technology and vocational education technology. Ethiopia has actively accepted these technologies. Through the training of local workers and the cultivation of technical talents, the technologies have been applied in industrial production and infrastructure construction, helping Ethiopia enhance its independent development ability.
What measures are being taken to enhance trade relations between the two countries?
The two sides are strengthening the docking of development strategies, and China is helping Ethiopia improve its infrastructure to create a better trade environment. They are also holding various trade promotion activities, such as the China-Ethiopia Economic and Trade Forum, to provide a platform for business cooperation. In addition, they are promoting the facilitation of trade and improving customs clearance efficiency.
How does Ethiopia’s relationship with China fit with the broader context of Africa-China relations?
The relationship between Ethiopia and China is an important part and model of Africa-China relations. It sets a good example for cooperation between China and African countries, demonstrating the spirit of win-win cooperation and common development between China and Africa, and promoting the deepening of overall Africa-China cooperation.
What steps are being taken to elevate the relationship between the two nations?
The two sides are continuously deepening political mutual trust, strengthening high-level exchanges and strategic communication. They are also expanding cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, culture and education, and promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship.
Before concluding, do you have any additional thoughts or comments to share?
The cooperation between China and Ethiopia is based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and win-win results, and has broad prospects for development. It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the cooperation in more fields will be carried out in depth in the future, bringing more benefits to the two peoples.
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2025
