Ethiopia, China mark 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties establishment

Ethiopia and China on Wednesday marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

At a banquet organized at Ghion Hotel here in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Chinese Ambassador Gu Xiaojie and Chinese diplomats as well as chiefs of Chinese companies and institutions in Ethiopia joined Ethiopian President Girma Wolde-Giorgis and other senior Ethiopian government officials for the celebration of the anniversary.

In his message read out during the dinner reception organized by the Ethiopian government, Chinese President Hu Jintao said in the new century Ethiopia and China have set up the all-round cooperative partnership on the basis of equality and mutual trust, which has resulted in expanding bilateral trade, reciprocal investment and fruitful cooperation in the fields of culture, education, and health.

The Chinese president said China is willing to further deepen the traditional friendship, enhance the all-round exchanges and cooperation, and jointly promote the Sino-Ethiopia all-round cooperative partnership and the new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa.

For his part, Ethiopian President Girma Wolde-Giorgis said Ethiopia and China have strengthened their all-round cooperative partnership from time to time on the basis of friendship, equality and mutual trust which has resulted in the intensification of bilateral relations in trade, investment, education, health, and culture.

Girma also appreciated the Chinese stance on its development cooperation policy towards Africa.

Many African countries, including Ethiopia, have benefited from the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) , he added.

Speaking at the banquet accompanied by cultural performance by Ethiopian Cultural Troupe, Gu Xiaojie, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, said the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries on 24th November, 1970 opened a new chapter in the relations of the two sides.

The Ambassador said the two sides have developed strengthened relations, especially after the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) came into power in 1991.

He also said the Chinese side cherishes the friendship with Ethiopia and is ready to work with Ethiopian side in its efforts to implement the new five-year Growth and Transformation Plan.

Haile-Mariam Desalegn, the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, said the relations between China and Ethiopia are for mutual satisfaction.

The visits of higher officials to each other and signing of different agreements between the two sides have consolidated the ties between the two countries in recent few years, said Haile- Mariam.

He also said the Chinese investment in Ethiopia has been increasing both in volume and diversity, creating substantial job opportunity and transferring technology to the local people.

The minister said China is playing pivotal role in helping Ethiopia to mitigate poverty and achieve economic development.

The cooperation between Ethiopia and China adheres to mutual respect and noninterference in the internal affairs and peaceful coexistence, he added.

Source:Xinhua