China and Ethiopia are set to deepen cooperation across infrastructure, green industries and the digital economy, as Beijing steps up engagement with one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa, where both leaders called for stronger collaboration in key economic and technological sectors.
During the meeting, Wang said China was ready to better align its development strategies with Ethiopia in order to elevate their “all-weather strategic partnership,” according to Reuters.
He also urged faster progress in trade and economic relations and called for advancing what he described as “high-quality Belt and Road cooperation” between China and Africa, state news agency Xinhua reported.
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Beijing is keen to highlight countries it views as model partners under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative and to expand its presence in young and increasingly affluent markets such as Ethiopia. The International Monetary Fund expects Ethiopia’s economy to grow by 7.2% this year, underlining its importance to China’s Africa strategy.
Wang also encouraged Ethiopia to provide a supportive business environment for Chinese companies and described the country as playing an important role in both regional and global affairs.
Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, infrastructure, energy, transport and legal affairs, while also expanding into areas including e-commerce, artificial intelligence and green energy. They also committed to closer collaboration in culture, tourism, education, media and exchanges between think tanks.
As part of his African tour, Wang is scheduled to visit Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho before ending his trip on January 12.
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Image Credit: World Peace Foundation
