On November 30, 2021 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea Osman Saleh Mohammed on the sidelines of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar.
Osman extended warm congratulations on the successful convening of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. He said, under the leadership of the CPC, China has not only made phenomenal development progress and become the engine of global economic development and innovation, but also ensured that the fruits of development are shared by all the people, which is really impressive.
Wang Yi said, the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee adopted a historic resolution, and made a comprehensive review of the Party's glorious achievements and valuable experience over the past century, further strengthening the resolve and confidence of the Chinese people to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China's development is the growth of developing countries' forces and the world's peaceful forces. China's rise will make the international forces more balanced and the world more peaceful.
Wang Yi said, Eritrea always supports China in safeguarding its core interests. China also firmly supports Eritrea in opposing external interference, safeguarding sovereignty and independence, and opposing the unilateral sanctions which are groundless under the international law. China always believes that regional countries know best the problems within the region, and it's up to the people of a country to properly handle its internal affairs.
Osman said, Eritrea and China share common ground in upholding multilateralism and maintaining fairness and justice. Eritrea firmly opposes interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the guise of human rights and democracy.
Wang Yi said, democratic standards must be made in democratic ways. The so-called "Summit for Democracy" is in itself not democratic at all because it is the U.S. that labels and judges other countries, laying bare its hypocrisy. Unilateralism and arbitrariness are on the opposite side of democracy.
Both sides also exchanged views on practical cooperation. The two sides agreed to take Eritrea's joining the Belt and Road Initiative as an opportunity to deepen cooperation in fields such as ports, energy, infrastructure, agriculture and mining.
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