China vows to promote trade ties with Uganda: FM

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R) meets with Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeje Odongo on the sidelines of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal, Nov. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

DAKAR, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- China pledged to promote bilateral trade between China and Uganda, as well as China and Africa to a new level, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Monday.

Wang made the remarks during his meeting with Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeje Odongo on the sidelines of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday announced a series of major initiatives and measures for cooperation with Africa, Wang said China will focus on the nine programs and take concrete actions to help Africa achieve development and rejuvenation.

He noted that China will firmly support African countries in bridging the "immunization gap," make greater contributions to safeguarding the health and security of the African people and write a new chapter in the China-Africa friendship in the new era.

Wang said the mutual political trust between China and Uganda has been deepened and the bilateral practical cooperation has been progressing smoothly.

The two sides also shared weal and woe in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, injecting new contents into the China-Uganda cooperation, he added.

China will facilitate export of African countries' agricultural products into China by building a "green channel," further expand the scope of the zero-tariff treatment for products imported from Africa, and strive for importing products worth 300 billion U.S. dollars from Africa in the next three years, Wang said.

All these measures will significantly promote the export growth of products from African countries to China, and push bilateral trade between China and Uganda, as well as China and Africa to a new level, he added.

Odongo, for his part, said that he listened carefully to President Xi's important speech at the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC.

The new cooperation measures announced by Xi are urgently needed by Africa, which will boost the development of Africa-China relations and are a strong testimony to China's firm support for Africa, he said, adding that these measures have naturally been warmly welcomed and highly recognized by African countries.

Uganda is looking forward to enhancing synergy with China on jointly implementing those measures and push Africa-China cooperation to a new level, Odongo said.

Uganda is satisfied with its relationship with China and thanks China for its contribution to Uganda's economic and social development, he said, expressing the hope to receive China's support in the export of Uganda's products to China and other areas.

Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening coordination and cooperation between the two countries in international and regional affairs, and agreed to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Africa and other developing countries.