China, Cote d'Ivoire agree to promote bilateral ties to higher level

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held talks with Cote d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara in Beijing, and the two leaders agreed to promote bilateral ties to a higher level and achieve mutual benefits and win-win cooperation.

Ouattara, on a state visit to China, is to attend the upcoming 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Xi said the two countries should utilize the Belt and Road Initiative' as an opportunity to align development strategies, and boost high-quality and sustainable development together.

He also said both sides should cooperate more on effective tackling of security challenges, and contribute to the peace and stability in west Africa and African Continent as a whole.

Cote d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara (C) arrives in Beijing, August 28, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

Ouattara said Cote d'Ivoire fully supports the initiative and is willing to actively participate in building the Belt and Road. The country is also willing to help other members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union to participate in the initiative, he added.

The Belt and Road Initiative comprises of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Bilateral trade between China and Cote d'Ivoire reached 1.85 billion US dollars in 2017, an increase of 9.8 percent year-on-year.

A China-Africa community with a shared future

The FOCAC Beijing summit, scheduled for Sept. 3-4, is aimed at forging a closer China-Africa community with a shared future, Xi told Ouattara, adding that the event will promote solidarity and cooperation among developing countries.

A FOCAC-themed parterre at Xidan in Beijing, August 29, 2018. /VCG Photo

Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1983, Cote d'Ivoire has always adhered to the one-China policy, which China appreciated, Xi noted.

The Taiwan issue has been a key factor in bilateral ties between China and African countries in the past few decades. Beijing has repeatedly stressed that the one-China principle is the fundamental prerequisite and political foundation for the People's Republic of China to establish and develop relations with any country.

Xi stressed that China and Cote d'Ivoire should support each other more firmly on issues of each other's core interests and major concerns and strengthen coordination in the United Nations Security Council.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's footprints in Africa

A reception marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cote d'Ivoire is jointly held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Embassy of Cote d'Ivoire in China in Beijing, June 29, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

Alassane Ouattara (R2), President of Cote d'Ivoire, unveils a milestone during the inauguration ceremony of the Chinese-built Soubre hydroelectric power station near the city of Soubre in Cote d'Ivoire, Nov. 2, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Hailing China as a great friend of Cote d'Ivoire, Ouattara said people in his country cherish their traditional friendship with the Chinese people.

Cote d'Ivoire highly appreciates China's efforts to safeguard the rights and interests of developing countries in multilateral affairs and China's contributions to peacekeeping missions in Africa.

China is the second-largest country sharing UN peacekeeping costs and has some 2,500 peacekeepers in nine UN peacekeeping operations in countries such as South Sudan, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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