China pledges more cooperation with Ethiopia

January 11, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Friday his country stands committed more than ever to scaling up its multifarious cooperation with Ethiopia based on the principle of mutual benefit.

“A great progress has been made in bilateral relations. In recent years, we cooperated politically and also economically,” he said at a joint press conference with his Ethiopian counterpart Seyoum Mesfin.

“We have many areas of cooperation, particularly in economic and trade,” he said.

Yang said China’s support to Ethiopia will continue to concentrate on Ethiopia’s priority areas of development, including agricultural and infrastructural projects.

He told journalists that China will continue its effort to help Ethiopia boost its social and economic development.

The formal diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 38 years.

For his part, Seyoum echoed Yang’s remarks on the bilateral relations, saying that the cooperation between the two countries in the economic domain has grown by leaps and bounds.

“It continues to grow as it can easily be testified by the expanding Chinese involvement in Ethiopia’s effort in the areas of education, health, agriculture, and building of infrastructure.

“If you ask any Ethiopian, he or she is more likely than not to think of China when the occasion arises for him or her to talk about the very many road construction projects and to her infrastructural developments underway in Ethiopia,” said the Ethiopian foreign minister.

Seyoum also said China is a very important partner not only for Ethiopia but also for Africa.

“China is not a newcomer for Africa,” he added.

He said China was always been in solidarity with African people during the fight against colonialism and liberation, adding that China gave political, financial and materials support to Africa during those difficult years of decolonialism.

“Africa is now engaged in another round of liberation, this time liberation against poverty and backwardness,” said Seyoum.

He said China is committed to assisting Africa, including Ethiopia, in the fight against poverty and backwardness. “Ethiopia is looking forward to strengthening its cooperation with China,” he said.

Yang and his entourage arrived here Thursday on the last leg of his four-nation African tour, which also took him to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.

(Xinhua)