Chinese Foreign Minister Begins Annual Africa Tour With Visits to Four Nations: Ministry
Chinese Foreign Minister Begins Annual Africa Tour With Visits to Four Nations: Ministry
Wang Yi has commenced his New Year diplomatic visit to Africa on Wednesday, with scheduled stops in Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, and Lesotho, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced.
The itinerary includes a stop in Ethiopia, where Wang will attend the launching ceremony for the China-Africa "year of people-to-people exchanges" at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.
His visit to Somalia marks the first by a Chinese foreign minister since the 1980s, coming shortly after Israel's controversial recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland. Beijing recently reiterated its support for Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In Tanzania, engagement is expected to focus on bilateral cooperation, including infrastructure projects such as the refurbishment of the Tazara Railway that runs through the country into neighboring Zambia.
The tour will conclude in Lesotho, where discussions will reportedly address economic partnership and trade relations, following China's recent policy to extend tariff-free market access to least-developed nations.
The trip continues a 36-year tradition where Africa is the destination for the Chinese foreign minister's first overseas journey of the year.
China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching $282.1 billion in 2023.
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