China, Ethiopia enjoy ever-deepening political trust, fruitful practical cooperation, says Chinese envoy

ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- China-Ethiopia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership features ever-deepening political trust and fruitful practical cooperation, Zhao Zhiyuan, Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, said Friday.

Addressing an online press conference, Zhao stressed that 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," the Chinese ambassador said.

Zhao stressed that the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was a recent example showcasing the ever-expanding China-Ethiopia relations and China-Africa ties.

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, he said.

Recalling the visit of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Ethiopia after the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC, the ambassador hailed the visit as "another successful visit to Ethiopia by the state councilor after the one in 2019."

Wang, during his visit to Ethiopia, met with Ethiopia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen.

Zhao underscored the crucial importance of the growing high-level exchanges between the two countries in terms of uplifting the already deepening ties.

China and Ethiopia "enjoy a long-standing friendship that features mutual respect and treating each other as equals," he said.

The two countries, he said, "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."

No matter how the situation is 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," Zhao said.