As major developing countries sharing visions and joining hands in the pursuit of modernization, China and Ethiopia need to be partners that firmly support each other, pursue common development and uphold international fairness and justice, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday.

Qin made the remarks when meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

He said since China and Ethiopia established diplomatic ties more than half a century ago, the two countries have always helped each other and moved forward side by side no matter how the international situation changed, serving as a paragon of solidarity and cooperation among developing countries.

Noting that China supports Ethiopia in pursuing a development path suited to its own national conditions, Qin said leaders of the two countries have maintained close exchanges in recent years, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations under the new circumstances.

Qin reiterated China’s readiness to deepen and expand bilateral cooperation in various fields with Ethiopia and encourage more Chinese enterprises to invest in Ethiopia and participate in its reconstruction drive, he said.

He expressed the hope that Ethiopia will provide a sound business environment and take effective measures to protect the security and safety as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese personnel and institutions.

For his part, Ahmed said Ethiopia looks forward to strengthening exchanges of experience in governance with China so as to unite and lead all Ethiopian people to adhere to independence and accelerate the development and revitalization of the country.

He said Qin’s choice of Ethiopia as the first stop of his first overseas visit since taking office fully demonstrates the profound friendship between the two countries and the importance of bilateral relations.

Ahmed said Ethiopia’s cooperation with China in such areas as infrastructure, green economy, agriculture and industrial park construction has been exemplary and produced remarkable results, helping Ethiopia rank among the fastest-growing economies in Africa.

Ethiopia welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the east African country, said Ahmed.

On the same day, Qin held talks with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultation between the two foreign ministries and other cooperation documents.

Qin addressed members of the press along with Demeke after their talks.

Outlook on the Horn of Africa

When asked about China’s views on the peace agreement in Ethiopia and the progress of the China-proposed “Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa” in Ethiopia, Qin said that Ethiopia is the common home of all Ethiopian people, including those from Tigray.

Ethiopia has now entered a new stage of looking forward to peace and focusing on development after the recent signing of a ceasefire agreement between the federal government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been gradually implemented, he said.

China is sincerely glad to see this and extends warm congratulations to the government and people of Ethiopia, Qin said.

He said China has always taken the view that the conflict in Tigray is an internal affair of Ethiopia and that the Ethiopian people have the wisdom and ability to independently resolve their internal differences.

China has all along respected Ethiopia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and supported the Ethiopian government and people in their efforts to achieve national peace, unity and development, Qin said.

China has always supported Africans in solving African problems in African ways, he added.

Qin said the strategic location of the Horn of Africa is of great significance to the peace and stability of Africa and even the Middle East, and that China has put forward the “Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa” to support countries in the region to seek strength through unity and achieve prosperity and stability.

Recalling Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Xue Bing’s visit to many countries in the region, Qin said China supported the convening of the inaugural Horn of Africa peace conference that made a positive contribution to building consensus among all parties and promoting peace and development in the region.

He noted that China has provided batches of food, vaccines and other humanitarian supplies to Ethiopia to help improve the livelihoods of people in conflict-affected areas.

China will continue to do so and will actively participate in the reconstruction of conflict-afflicted areas, Qin said, urging the international community to also increase humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia and support the reconstruction and economic and social development of the affected regions.