China-Ethiopia cooperation gaining momentum across various fields: envoy

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China-Ethiopia cooperation is gaining momentum across various fields of partnership, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan has said.

The Chinese ambassador, in his New Year remarks published by the state-run Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) Sunday, underscored that China-Ethiopia relations will continue to expand in the new year.

"Our two sides have continued to make progress in practical cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, communications, finance, culture, education, people-to-people exchanges and other fields, bringing more benefits to the two peoples," Zhao said.

Describing the positive advancements in Sino-Ethiopian ties during 2023 as "extraordinary," he said the elevating of the bilateral relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership will help further deepen the ties to new heights.

"China and Ethiopia upgraded our bilateral relations into all-weather strategic partnership, which means that rain or shine, we two friendly developing countries both agree to step up mutual support on issues of each other's core interests and major concerns," he said.

Zhao said the upgrading of bilateral ties enabled the two countries to remain committed to further enhancing mutual trust, and cooperation across the board and strategic consultation regardless of how the external and internal environment may evolve.

He further underscored the two countries' joint commitment to the implementation of the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, as well as the strengthening of practical cooperation under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

According to Zhao, by 2023, China had sent 22 batches of more than 500 teachers to various agricultural vocational colleges in Ethiopia to cultivate talents for local agricultural development. He said China has so far sent 24 cohorts of medical teams to help the East African country's efforts in public health.

Noting that the practical cooperation between the two countries has fully boosted local employment, he said Chinese investment in Ethiopia has created 560,000 jobs, and China has also provided thousands of Ethiopian students with opportunities to study in China.

He predicted that in the new year, the two countries would usher in greater opportunities for respective development and friendly cooperation.

"China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia and push our all-weather strategic partnership to a new high. I believe that as long as we work hand in hand, the future of China and Ethiopia will be even brighter," he said.