China Eyes
OpenLife Nigeria reports that China has agreed to strengthen its strategic partnerships with Eritrea. Eritrea is a northeast African country on the Red Sea coast. It shares borders with Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti.
The emerging partnership is contained in a statement made available to OpenLife by Apo Group.
According to the statement, President Isaias Afwerki on January 5, received at State House Chinese senior delegation led by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Minister Wang Yi conveyed a message of President Xi Jinping to President Isaias inviting him to visit China for extensive talks on the bilateral Strategic Partnership.
President Isaias, on his part, applauded China’s monumental progress in the past 100 years under helm of Communist Party of China to the benefit of Chinese people and the world at large.
He also paid tribute to China’s significant role in the advent of balanced global order predicated on respect of international law
President Isaias also elaborated on Eritrea’s developmental priorities and its perspectives on regional and international issues of mutual importance.
Likewise, both sides also agreed to work on joint development programs including human resources development, infrastructure, and development of Massawa and Assab ports as well as in the mining sector.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi on his part underlined alignment of views and positions of both countries on major issues and expressed gratitude for Eritrea’s positive stance.
Mr. Wang Yi also affirmed China’s rejection of unilateral and illicit sanctions on Eritrea.
The meeting was attended on the Eritrean side by Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Presidential Adviser, Mr. Yemane Gebreab, and Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, Head of Economic Affairs of the PFDJ, and on the Chinese side Deputy Minister of Trade, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Global Cooperation Corporation, as well as Vice Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs.