26 Sep 2022

China will use the upcoming 20th Communist Party of China national congress as an opportunity to deepen the strategic mutual trust, enhance communication and coordination with Botswana.

Speaking in a virtual reception to mark the Peoples Republic of China 73rd anniversary recently,  Chinese ambassador, Mr Wang Xuefeng said China wished to carry forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation with Botswana and fully implement the 8th ministerial conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) outcomes.

He noted that last week’s seminar on the outcomes implementation saw a pleasant, pragmatic and fruitful exchange of views on cooperation in agriculture, green energy, trade and investment between the Chinese Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Mr Wang said China would further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Botswana under the FOCAC framework and the Belt and Road Initiative.

 “We will work with Africa to fully implement President Xi Jinping’s proposal of building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era and the FOCAC ‘nine programmes’ and continue to advance high-quality belt and road cooperation,” he said.Expressing China’s appreciation for Botswana’s commitment to the one-China policy, Mr Wang said Botswana and China kept close communication and coordination in global and regional affairs and jointly safeguarded each other’s legitimate interests.

He said China had made progress in preparations for importing Botswana beef as well as in helping accelerate the country’s agricultural transformation by tailoring Botswana’s National Agricultural Development Plan.

China also facilitated large Chinese enterprises for business inspection and negotiation in Botswana, said Mr Wang.

He said the two countries promptly shared experiences in COVID-19 prevention and control and facilitated the early arrival of the 17th Chinese medical team  in  Botswana.Mr Wang said China had continued to provide technical training for the country’s officials and technicians, helped Botswana students resume their studies in China, invited young Botswana friends to attend the Tiangong Dialogue event, a chance to directly interact with the Chinese Taikonauts in China’s Tiangong space station and set up Chinese Ambassador Scholarship to support top academic achievers.

For her part,  Ministry of Foreign Affairs acting permanent secretary Ms Mmamosadinyana Molefe expressed government’s appreciation for the prosperity and economic progress that has resulted from cooperation with China.

Ms Molefe said in the 47 years that Botswana and China had relations, the two countries stood side by side in pursuit of nation building and socio-economic transformation.

“Today we are happy to see that both our countries have strengthened pragmatic corporation in order to facilitate a more robust and more resilient socio-economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

Ms Molefe said China’s generous support during the pandemic was appreciated and would forever be remembered.

She said based on the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi during the 2018 FOCAC Beijing summit, the two sides were going all-out  to take bilateral relations to new levels.

There was concrete cooperation as evidenced by high level visits, cultural exchange, development assistance as well as commercial and tourism exchanges, Ms Molefe said.She said the two countries continued to implement the multiple bilateral agreements which defined their scope of cooperation in different areas.

Ms Molefe reaffirmed that Botswana would continue to value China as a strategic development partner and stood ready to broaden the scope of cooperation.

The reception was graced by cabinet ministers as well as Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Phandu Skelemani, Kgosi Kgari III,  heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations. ENDS