Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday met with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

China stands ready to work with Eritrea to deliver on major common understandings between the two heads of state, carry forward traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, firmly support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, and further synergize development strategies, Li said.

Under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China is willing to join hands with Eritrea to further expand trade, deepen cooperation in areas including mining, agriculture, infrastructure and education, explore cooperation potential in clean energy and blue economy, among other areas, and create new growth points for bilateral cooperation, said the premier.

Afwerki said Eritrea is willing to take the opportunity of strengthening the strategic partnership with China to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas including infrastructure construction, mining and agriculture, to elevate Eritrea-China and Africa-China relations to higher levels, and to tackle global challenges and oppose hegemonism jointly. ■