Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, with both sides pledging to jointly advance the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
In a joint press release, both sides agreed to deepen all-round cooperation and strive to build the China-Ethiopia all-weather strategic partnership. This will be a model for building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
Cooperation in traditional areas
Both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in traditional areas. And these include economy, trade, infrastructure, energy, transportation, and justice. To also tap into the potential for collaboration in emerging areas. These include e-commerce, digital economy, artificial intelligence, and green energy. And expand cooperation in culture, tourism, media, education, and think tanks.
Both sides highlighted their willingness to take the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to promote people-to-people exchanges for closer bonds through culture and art.
They are willing to strengthen the alignment of development strategies and policies. To deepen exchanges on governance experience and jointly advance on the path to modernisation, according to the press release.
Ethiopia reiterated its steadfast adherence to the one-China principle. It reaffirmed that there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. And the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
Respect for sovereignty, UN resolutions
The East African country opposes all forms of “Taiwan independence”. It supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification. And it resolutely defends the authority of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution 2758.
China attaches great importance to Ethiopia’s role in the Horn of Africa. And the Ethiopian side commends the results achieved under China’s Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa.
The Ethiopian side highly appreciated the series of major initiatives put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping. And it is ready to work with the Chinese side for their implementation.
Both sides reaffirmed that all countries should abide by the basic principles established by the UN Charter and international law. They pledged to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. And to oppose the use or threat of use of force in international relations.
Both sides agreed to hold a new round of political consultations between their foreign ministries in due time this year.
