Xi welcomes Cote d’Ivoire leader, hails ties

PRESIDENT Xi Jinping yesterday held talks with his Cote d’Ivoire counterpart Alassane Ouattara in Beijing, where the two leaders agreed to push bilateral ties to a new high and achieve mutual benefit and a win-win outcome.

Ouattara, on a state visit to China, will attend next week’s 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Xi welcomed Ouattara to the FOCAC summit, saying it will contribute to the building of an even stronger community with a shared future for China and Africa, push forward the development of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and boost unity and cooperation among developing countries.

Since they established diplomatic relations 35 years ago, China and Cote d’Ivoire have witnessed increasingly wider cooperation with fruitful results, Xi said, stressing that China appreciates Cote d’Ivoire’s upholding of the one-China principle and supports Cote d’Ivoire in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development rights, and in choosing a development path in line with its national conditions.

He called on both sides to firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns.

Calling trade and economic cooperation a propeller for China-Cote d’Ivoire ties, Xi urged the two sides to enhance the Belt and Road Initiative, align their development strategies, and facilitate common development featuring high quality and sustainability.

Xi urged both countries to combat security challenges, play a constructive role in promoting peace and security in Western Africa and the whole African continent, and strengthen coordination in the United Nations Security Council so as to safeguard the rights and benefits of developing countries.

On his part, Ouattara called China a great friend of Cote d’Ivoire, saying the people of his country value their traditional friendship with the Chinese people.

He expressed admiration for China’s reform and opening-up achievements as well as his solid support for the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi, adding that Cote d’Ivoire will press ahead with the West African Economic and Monetary Union’s cooperation with China within the framework of the BRI.

Speaking highly of China’s efforts in protecting developing countries’ rights on multilateral occasions, Ouattara voiced his appreciation of China’s active participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

The FOCAC summit will definitely achieve success and become a historic event in AfricaChina cooperation, he added.