Ambassador Zhao Zhiyuan Held a Press Briefing
2021-12-04 01:08

Remarks by Amb. Zhao Zhiyuan at Press Briefing

(December 3rd 15:00, 2021)


Friends from the Media, Dear students,

Good afternoon!

I am pleased to join you online for the briefing. Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to you on behalf of the embassy. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the journalists for the continued coverage and support of China’s diplomacy, especially China-Africa and China-Ethiopia relations. We, at the embassy, also wish that the students joining us today will play an active part in China-Ethiopia cooperation, and contribute their shares to the growing friendship between the two peoples.

Dear friends and students,

I want to borrow one line from Chinese poems to describe the development of China-Ethiopia bilateral relations in the past year. It reads “A time has come to ride the wind and cleave the waves, we can set sail to cross the sea that raves.” As Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partners, China and Ethiopia have stood together in all weather and forged ahead hand-in-hand. The two countries now enjoy ever-deepening political trust, fruitful practical cooperation, closer people-to-people ties and stronger mutual support.

Today, I would like to brief you on the two major events in China-Ethiopia relations that took place this week, which took friendly cooperation between the two countries to a new high:

1. The Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)  

From November 29th to 30th, the Eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC was held in Dakar, Senegal. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony via video link and delivered a keynote speech. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the conference in Dakar. The 53 African countries’ foreign ministers or representatives, ministers of economy and trade and ministers of finance attended the conference. State Minister Redwan of foreign affairs led the Ethiopian delegation to the conference.

The conference was a another gathering for the family of China and African nations after the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit. It was the largest physical diplomatic event that China jointly hosted overseas with any other side since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. And it was another major Chinese diplomatic engagement with developing countries. President Xi once again attended a FOCAC conference after the Beijing Summit in 2018 and the Extraordinary Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 in 2020, which shows that China attaches great importance to its relations with Africa. The conference assessed the implementation of outcomes of the previous session, discussed and finalized the plan for follow-up cooperation, and adopted four outcome documents, the most among all sessions. The most important consensus reached by China and Africa can be summarized in the following five aspects.

Firstly, the two sides will promote the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation. President Xi summarized the history of China-Africa relations and proposed the spirit for the first time, which features sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness. It became a highlight of the meeting. The spirit is a valuable treasure fostered by both sides through our struggles for national independence and liberation, an important attitude formed by both sides along our glorious march towards development, rejuvenation, unity and cooperation, an interpretation of our characteristics of friendship, equality, mutual benefit and justice, and an epochal example of a new model of international relations.

Secondly, the two sides will work together to defeat the pandemic. President Xi solemnly announced at the conference that China will provide an additional one billion vaccine doses to Africa to help the African Union achieve its goal of vaccinating 60 percent of the African population by 2022. This is the largest vaccine assistance plan undertaken by a single country to Africa since the outbreak of the pandemic, which will surely boost Africa’s confidence and motivation to overcome the pandemic.

Thirdly, the two sides will work to enrich China-Africa cooperation in the new era. In addition to our due works in traditional fields of China-Africa cooperation, we will aim at the most urgent development needs of African countries, and will transform and upgrade China-Africa cooperation in such fields as health, people’s well-being, green development, digital economy, and capacity building, so as to create more cooperation highlights. President Xi announced that China will implement nine programs jointly with African countries, which is a strong declaration of China’s continued commitment to Africa and the sustained momentum of China-Africa cooperation.

Fourthly, the two sides will work together to practice true multilateralism. China and Africa are important forces for securing world peace and development. We will continue to firmly support each other on issues of core interests and major concerns, jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs. The two sides will resolutely oppose any unilateral sanctions, any interference in other countries’ internal affairs and racial discrimination, and will promote the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, to make greater contributions to safeguarding world equity and justice.

Fifthly, the two sides will jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. Facing the combined challenges of centennial volatility and the pandemic unseen in a century, President Xi proposed four proposals on building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, namely fighting COVID-19 with solidarity, deepening practical cooperation, promoting green development and upholding equity and justice. The four proposals received warm responses from African leaders. China appreciates African countries’ warm welcome and support for the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi, and will work with Africa to align the initiative with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the AU’s Agenda 2063 to form synergy. China is ready to march with Africa hand in hand on the path of development and rejuvenation.

Friends, the FOCAC has gone through 20 years and now is standing at a new historic starting point. China will always be Africa’s sincerest, most reliable, and longest-term partner. With strategic guidance of Chinese and African leaders and joint efforts of both sides, we will definitely see the next “two golden decades” of FOCAC and achieve greater success in building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

2. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a working visit to Ethiopia

On December 1st, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen during his working visit to Ethiopia after the Eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC. It was another successful visit to Ethiopia by the State Councilor after the one in 2019. And it was the fourth time this year that the two foreign ministers communicated directly. It is a pure demonstration of the high-level of political mutual trust between China and Ethiopia.

State Councilor Wang Yi stressed that China adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. We do not meddle in the internal affairs of Ethiopia, and we also oppose any external forces’ interference in the internal affairs of Ethiopia, and in particular, we disagree with the practice of some external forces to pressure Ethiopia for their own political purposes. We’re of the view that the current conflict in Ethiopia is the country’s domestic issue in nature. Ethiopia has the ability and wisdom to resolve the conflict and achieve inclusiveness and stability by political means in accordance with law. Peace talks are the real solution and the only correct choice. China hopes that all parties in Ethiopia will take an active approach to ending the conflict as soon as possible and work for lasting peace. China, as a good friend of Ethiopia, is willing to play a constructive role if needed by Ethiopia on the premise of respecting the country’s sovereignty.

DPM Demeke noted that Ethiopia attaches great importance to the traditional friendship between the two countries and appreciates China’s firm adherence to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. The Ethiopian government remains committed to a political solution to the conflict and opposes the interference in the internal affairs of Ethiopia by external forces under the pretext of so-called democracy and human rights.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Africa cooperation.

That concludes my briefing today. Thank you.

Now I’m ready to take questions.


ENA:This yearmarks the 65th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Africam countries and China. In the past 65 years, we have achieved historical and great achievements. Also FOCAC has become a flagship of South South cooperation.All of us are proud of this. So please H.E. Amb. share more information about the Nine Programs announced by Chinese President Xi, which has be mentioned during your speech.

Thank you for the question. It is now at a crucial moment for the global fight against COVID-19 and economic recovery. Despite the impact of the pandemic,China and African countries managed to hold the FOCAC ministerial conference as scheduled through coordination and collaboration, demonstrating the firm determination of China and Africa in overcoming difficulties and seeking development. This is also a vivid example of building a China-Africa community with a shared future.

At the conference, President Xi put forward nine programs under the first three-year plan of the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, which cover key areas of practical cooperation including medicine and health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and peace and security.

Under the nine programs, China will implement 80 major assistance projects. China will open “green lanes” for African agricultural exports to China, and expand the scope of products enjoying zero-tariff treatment for the least developed countries, in a bid to reach 300 billion US dollars  imports in total from Africa in the next three years. China will encourage its businesses to invest no less than 10 billion US dollars in Africa in the next three years, and will establish a platform for China-Africa private investment promotion. China will provide credit facilities and trade finance to African financial institutions and exporters, and channel to African countries part of its share of the IMF’s new allocation of Special Drawing Rights. China will continue to support the development of African Continental Free Trade Area. China will support the development of the “Great Green Wall” in Africa.

These specific measures meet the most pressing needs of African countries in development, and are in line with China’s efforts to build a new development paradigm at home and the global trend of development cooperation. They provide a strong declaration of China’s continued commitment to Africa and the sustained momentum of China-Africa cooperation, which will inject new dynamism into Africa’s post-pandemic recovery.

Going forward, we will work with African friends to fully implement the major initiatives announced by President Xi and continuously push for upgrade of China-Africa cooperation toward high-quality, people-centered and sustainable development.

EPA:The U.S Embassey has been issuing  overblown  travel warnings, now that the China's  Foriegn Minister has visited Addis Ababa amidst the west's misinformation, which can be regarded as a support to Ethiopian people .Also Chinese MFA spokesperson and your embassy repost the No More campaign on twitter. What's your commend on these?

Thank you for the question. China-Ethiopia friendship is solid and unbreakable. State Councillor Wang Yi’s visit is another vivid example of the high-level of bilateral relations between the two countries, which has taken the friendship to a new height. 

Both China and Ethiopia are ancient civilizations. The two countries enjoy a long-standing friendship that features mutual respect and treating each other as equals. We also have the same approach to international relations, namely following an independent foreign policy, upholding the principle of self-reliance and resilience, and opposing external interference.

State Councillor Wang Yi has stressed on many occasions that China firmly supports Ethiopia’s efforts to safeguard sovereignty and independence, and believes that the Ethiopian government has the ability and wisdom to manage the country’s internal affairs. China will continue to support the Ethiopian people as they work for peace, stability, development and prosperity.

No matter how the situation are evolving, China will steadfastly stand with the Ethiopian people, and keep to the consistent position of opposing external intervention in Ethiopia’s internal affairs with the disguise of human rights or democracy. China’ active participation in the recent “No More” campaign also gives strong support to Ethiopia.

Let me conclude by emphasizing that China believes all humanity share the same future. Deliberate division of “us” and “them” does not serve world peace and strategic stability. Democracy is not a patent held by a certain country. There is more than one form of democracy, and more than one path to realize democracy. No country has the right to monopolize the definition and judgement of democracy, or claim itself to be the “beacon of democracy”. The so-called “Summit for Democracy” is just another attempt to cement division and impose judgement on others. It goes against the trend of the times and ends with no support.