Last Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen embarked on a four-day official visit to China. Senior Chinese Government officials warmly welcomed the Ethiopian Delegation at Beijing International Airport. The aim of the visit was the Deputy Prime Minister would meet the Chinese authorities and discuss how to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership between the two countries as he would make the visit at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang who had come to Addis Ababa in January as part of his first African tour as top Chinese diplomat.
The two countries are comprehensive strategic partners of cooperation; when Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen in Beijing, he expressed appreciation to Ethiopia for resolutely supporting China in safeguarding core interests.
Cooperatively, the two leaders discussed ways to expand realistic cooperation, ensuring the economic and social benefits of flagship cooperation projects such as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway. Above all, China has been Ethiopia’s largest source of foreign direct investment and trading partner for many years. And Beijing has continued encouraging more Chinese enterprises to actively participate in the reconstruction of Ethiopia. It is certain that the discussions of the two leaders will unquestionably further the historic relations of the countries.
Moreover, realizing Ethiopia’s commitment to ensure lasting peace and development, China affirmed its support in consolidating unity and peace across the nation. Furthermore, the nation expressed its readiness to work with Ethiopia to jointly build a Belt and Road of high quality, expand practical cooperation, and promote people-to-people exchanges. In response to China’s commitment, the Deputy Prime Minister commended China’s strong support for Ethiopia in restoring peace and responding to challenges.
More importantly, Ethiopia regards China as an important development partner in ensuring its development goals, sustainable stability and rehabilitation including post-war reconstruction and economic growth through enhancing bilateral cooperation.
The meeting of these two leaders has a unique importance as they last met during Qin’s visit to Addis Ababa, as part of his first African tour since he became China’s foreign minister. This surely encourages the two leaders to excel relations between Addis Ababa and Beijing to implement the China-proposed Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa as China wants to see sustainable prosperity and stability across the region. Indeed, this meeting has high significance for Ethiopia since it is at a crucial period to consolidate peace and focus on development.
Realizing the praiseworthy contributions of Chinese companies in Ethiopia, the government continues ensuring the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese institutions and personnel in Ethiopia besides strengthening solidarity, friendship and mutual development. This in turn has surely brought tangible benefits to people from both countries and set a good example of South-South cooperation.
In sum, the two leaders have made comprehensive and strategic discussions that will result in elevating the historic relations of the two countries. Moreover, their discussions will assuredly deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields like science and technology as China’s achievements in the field are inspirational and will encourage Ethiopia to speed up its independent development.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 28 MAY 2023
