China to further forge cooperation in digital economy, green dev’t with Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, October 23, 2023 (FBC) – China will further strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia in the areas of Digital Economy and Green Development, on the basis of mutual respect, Ambassador Zhao Zhiyuan said.

Briefing journalists on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to China and the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan said China supports Ethiopia in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests.

China highly appreciates that the Ethiopian side actively joins in the Initiative on International Trade and Economic Cooperation Framework for Digital Economy and Green Development during the 3rd Belt and Road Forum, he said.

Digital and green transition represents in global economic and social transformation and important drivers of economic growth, the ambassador added as quoted by ENA.

“China will further strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia in the areas of Digital Economy and Green Development, on the basis of mutual respect and in accordance with the willingness, capacity and needs of Ethiopia, so as to bring more fruitful benefits to the Ethiopian people,” Zhiyuan noted.

With the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2017, the bilateral relationship between China and Ethiopia has been close, firm and fruitful, he stated, and added “we both agreed to upgrade our relationship to an all-weather strategic cooperation partnership level.”

Ambassador Zhiyuan expressed Chinese determination to work with Ethiopia to strengthen cooperation in various fields to support and participate in Ethiopia’s post-war reconstruction and economic revitalization, strengthen cooperation in green development, and to boost the country’s development effort.

“Premier Li Qiang and Dr. Abiy witnessed the signing of 12 MOU and 2 letters of intent on Belt and Road cooperation, implementation of the Global Development Initiative, agriculture, culture, health, digital economy, green development, and urban and infrastructure construction. The Chinese Embassy looks forward to working with all parties in Ethiopia to implement the important results of this visit,” he emphasized.

He pointed out that China and Ethiopia need to take the establishment of the all-weather strategic partnership as an opportunity to constantly strengthen friendship and mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and move forward bilateral relations to yield more outcomes.

According to the Ambassador, the two sides should be friends for common development and win-win cooperation and partners in promoting South-South solidarity and cooperation and safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Zhiyuan stressed “It is fair to say that China-Ethiopia relationship should stand as an example of China-Africa relations.”

This upgrade of our bilateral relationship is surely a milestone in history, he said, and pointed out “we should keep this momentum and promote our relations to be deeper and more solid.”

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed along with his delegation conducted official visit to China where he attended the third Belt and Road Forum (BFR) for International Cooperation from October 17-20.

The premier addressed the 3rd Belt and Road Forum during the opening session and shared the successes of the Belt and Road Initiative in Ethiopia and called for deepening of agriculture sector cooperation and intensifying industry centered development cooperation.

He also conferred with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister of China, Li Qiang as well as the President of the New Development Bank, Dilma Rousseff on the sidelines of the forum.

During his stay in China, he visited several places including the Yangshan Port in Shanghai and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Huawei Center in Shanghai city.