On September 5, 2024, at the closing ceremony of the new Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Ambassador to Eritrea Li Xiang accepted an exclusive interview with reporters from Eritrean TV and the English newspaper Image in Beijing. The full text is as follows:

Question 1: In recent years, the relations between Eritrea and China have developed rapidly and a strategic partnership has been established. How do you evaluate the current Eritrea-China relations?

Answer: China and Eritrea have a profound traditional friendship. Eritrea established diplomatic relations with China at the ambassadorial level on the day of its founding in 1993. Over the past 30 years, the two countries have maintained strong political mutual trust and increasingly close cooperation. In recent years, China-Eritrea relations have entered a fast lane. In 2021, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2022, President Xi Jinping and President Isaias decided to upgrade China-Eritrea relations to a strategic partnership. In 2023, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Isaias, who was on a state visit to China, and exchanged in-depth views on further deepening bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern. Many important consensuses were reached, and a blueprint for the future development of bilateral relations was drawn up. In 2024, President Isaias attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of his first visit to China after becoming president. On September 2, President Xi Jinping met with President Isaias. The leaders of the two countries had in-depth communication on bilateral relations and the international and regional situation, opening a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations.

Q2: As you said, President Isaias met with President Xi Jinping on September 2. This was the second meeting between the two heads of state after President Isaias' official visit to China last year. What topics did the two sides discuss?

Answer: During this visit to China, President Xi Jinping had in-depth and friendly exchanges with President Isaias, exchanged views on China-Eritrea relations, the situation in the Horn of Africa, and international and regional issues of common concern, and reached a series of consensus.

President Xi Jinping said that China views China-Eritrea relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and is willing to deepen political mutual trust with Eritrea, promote practical cooperation and achieve common development. China and Eritrea should be good brothers with a shared future, good partners for mutual benefit and win-win results, and good friends who uphold fairness and justice. China and Eritrea have similar views on many major international and regional issues, and China is willing to maintain coordination and cooperation with Eritrea.

President Isaias elaborated on his unique insights on the prospects of bilateral relations between China and Eritrea, the future development of the African continent and the international situation. President Isaias said that Eritrea-China relations have a profound history, strong friendship and good cooperation. China's international status is crucial and it is increasingly becoming a key force in leading global governance reform. Cooperation with China is and will continue to help African countries better achieve development, resist colonialism and hegemony, and gain equality and dignity in the international arena.

The two heads of state have similar views on many issues and agreed to continue to maintain communication, continue to support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, better safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the vast number of developing countries, and commit to a more just and reasonable international order.

Q3: President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The speech was rich in content and painted a bright future for China-Africa relations. What is your view on the future of China-Africa relations?

Answer: I am full of confidence in the future development of China-Africa and China-Eritrea relations. The future of China-Africa and China-Eritrea relations is bright and the prospects are broad.

As President Xi Jinping said, China-Africa friendship transcends time and space, crosses mountains and seas, and is passed on from generation to generation. After nearly 70 years of hard work, China-Africa relations are at their best in history. Looking to the future, China and Africa will pursue the dream of modernization together, which will surely set off a wave of modernization in the "global South" and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

President Xi Jinping also proposed that China and Africa should work together to promote the "six modernizations", namely, fairness and justice, openness and win-win cooperation, people-centeredness, diversity and inclusiveness, ecological friendliness, and peace and security; and work together to promote the ten major partnership actions of modernization, namely, mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health and wellness, agricultural development and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, green development, and security.

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made systematic arrangements for further deepening reform and promoting Chinese-style modernization. This will further profoundly change China, and will also provide new opportunities and inject new impetus for African countries and China-Africa cooperation in pursuing the dream of modernization.

Question 4: Eritrea and China have extensive cooperation areas. In addition to mining, can you introduce cooperation in other areas?

Answer: China and Eritrea have extensive cooperation in various fields, which has benefited both countries and their peoples. The two sides have continuously deepened practical cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, infrastructure, medical and health care, agriculture, and culture.

In terms of trade and investment, in 2023, the total trade volume between China and Eritrea was nearly US$500 million, and China's investment in Eritrea across all industries exceeded US$200 million, ranking sixth in China's investment in Africa.

In terms of infrastructure, the Belaza Power Station built with Chinese aid has alleviated local power shortages.

In terms of medical and health care, China has sent 17 batches of more than 300 doctors to Eritrea to help local patients and assisted in the construction of the largest local hospital, Orota Hospital.

In terms of agriculture, Chinese agricultural experts have carried out demonstration planting of apples, beans, and oil-bearing crops in the local area.

In terms of culture, the Confucius Institute teaches Chinese language and culture courses to the Eritrean people.

In terms of capacity building, China has trained more than 1,000 talents of various types for Eritrea through online and offline methods.

In terms of news, the two countries have just signed a cooperation agreement on television, radio and other areas.

Q5: You have been in Eritrea for more than four months. What is your impression of this country and its people? What plans do you have for your future work in Eritrea?

A: This is my second visit to Eritrea. The last time was in 2007 when I accompanied the then foreign minister to Eritrea. I am honored to be the 11th Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea. I have three most prominent feelings: First, tolerance and friendliness. I have been to more than 80 countries in the world, but no country is as friendly as Eritrea. Whether in the car or on the street, people will take the initiative to greet me. I am deeply moved by this sincerity and friendliness; second, peace and harmony. Currently, there are frequent conflicts in the Horn of Africa, and ethnic, religious and geopolitical conflicts have arisen one after another, but what I see in Eritrea is peace and unity; third, perseverance. Every weekend, I can always see cyclists forging ahead on the suburban roads. It is precisely because of the persistence of these young people that excellent riders like Biniam Girmay have emerged. This kind of tenacity is like the grass that suddenly emerges from the ground in the rainy season. It is not only the tenacity of life, but also gives us hope for Eritrea.

For me, the mission to Eritrea is an honorable one and a heavy responsibility. During my tenure, I will make every effort to work with Eritrea to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. I will be a sincere listener, a communicator between the two countries, and a pragmatic actor, so as to push the China-Eritrea strategic partnership to go deeper and more practical.

＊＊＊＊＊