China, Cote d'Ivoire to expand cooperation across the board

President of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday in Abidjan, with both sides pledging closer cooperation across the board.

During the meeting, Ouattara hailed the bilateral cooperation, noting that China has become the West African country's largest trading partner and source of investment.

Cote d'Ivoire will continue to make it priority to develop relations with China, said the president.

He stressed that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. "We will continue to adhere to the one-China principle."

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Chinese side highly appreciates Cote d'Ivoire's support for China in safeguarding national reunification and territorial integrity.

China stands ready to promote the upgrading of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Cote d'Ivoire, said Wang.

He noted that China and Africa have made historic achievement in cooperation over the past over 20 years since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The forum has given a boost for Africa's accelerated development and helped promote world peace and stability, said Wang.

China is ready to work with African countries to explore effective paths that are consistent with their respective national conditions, maintain their own independence and lead to common development and prosperity, so as to jointly achieve modernization, he said.

Wang also held talks with Cote d'Ivoire's foreign minister on Wednesday.

Cote d'Ivoire was the last leg in Africa of the Chinese foreign minister's first overseas visit this year. Wang also visited Egypt, Tunisia and Togo during the trip, which started on Saturday.