The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is taking place in Beijing, and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with Premier Li Qiang on Monday.
In order to support each other in attaining development and revitalization while preserving domestic stability, Li said China was eager to cooperate with Ethiopia.
In order to further align the interests of the two nations, he stated that Beijing was ready to increase its collaboration with Addis Abeba in the areas of trade, economy, and other areas.
Ahmed, on the other hand, praised Beijing for its long-standing strong support for the economic and social growth of Ethiopia, calling it the country’s most reliable partner and friend.
He declared that Ethiopia was prepared to actively contribute to the development of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and increase cooperation in several fields, including industry and agriculture.
After the talks, Li and Ahmed witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents including those under the Belt and Road Initiative.
The conference marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI, a plan for global infrastructure and energy networks launched by China purportedly to boost global trade.
But some see it as a tool for Beijing to spread its geopolitical and economic influence.