Xi Jinping Meets with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali

On the morning of October 17, 2023, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali who is in China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and pay an official visit to China.

Xi Jinping congratulated Ethiopia on joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism upon invitation, and pointed out that Ethiopia is an important participant in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Xi said over the past ten years, the China-Ethiopia BRI cooperation has been wide-ranging, fruitful and pace-setting in Africa. The two sides need to take the establishment of the all-weather strategic partnership as an opportunity to constantly strengthen friendship and mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and move forward bilateral relations to yield more outcomes. The two sides should be friends for common development and win-win cooperation and partners in promoting South-South solidarity and cooperation and safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Xi Jinping emphasized that China supports Ethiopia in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests. The two sides should continue to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. China is ready to work with Ethiopia to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields under such frameworks as the BRI and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, support and participate in Ethiopia's post-war reconstruction and economic revitalization, strengthen cooperation in green development, and implement the Global Development Initiative, to boost Ethiopia's development effort. Ethiopia is a strong country in marathon race. China is ready to work with Ethiopia to carry forward the marathon spirit, and work jointly to promote peace and development, and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Abiy Ahmed Ali said that during his current visit to Beijing, he finds the city is still more clean and beautiful and the people live in even greater happiness, which testifies to the tremendous effort and great achievements made by the Chinese government in recent years. China is Ethiopia's important partner, and China's investment and cooperation, in particular BRI cooperation, has strongly boosted Ethiopia's economic and social development. Ethiopia's relations with China are on the right path, and further strengthening bilateral relations is not only of crucial importance for Ethiopia, but also of great significance for South-South solidarity. Ethiopia hopes to learn from China's experience in party governance and state administration, looks forward to continuing to advance BRI cooperation with China and carrying out closer cooperation in key fields, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to Ethiopia for investment. The Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative put forth by President Xi Jinping epitomize equality, openness and mutual respect, and are conducive to promoting common development. Ethiopia highly appreciates and actively supports the initiatives, and stands ready to cooperate closely with China to promote their implementation.

The two sides issued a Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on the Establishment of All-weather Strategic Partnership.

Cai Qi and Wang Yi were present at the above event.