Djibouti, where China has opened its first overseas military base, on Thursday agreed to establish strategic partnership to strengthen all-round cooperation with Beijing.
The announcement came as Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.
Mr. Guelleh is the first head of state of an African country to visit the country since the ruling Communist Party of China’s (CPC’s) Congress in October endorsed a second five-year term for Mr. Xi.
China is willing to work with Djibouti to speed up the implementation of the results of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), jointly forge ahead with Belt and Road construction and fully strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields, Mr. Xi said in his talks with Mr. Guelleh.
“China welcomes Djibouti to participate in the Belt and Road construction and is ready to advance cooperation on infrastructure projects including railways, ports, water supply, liquefied natural gas pipeline, as well as building of a free trade area and cooperation in agriculture,” the state- run Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying.
‘Good friend of China’
Mr. Guelleh, who is on a three-day state visit to China, said Djibouti is “a good friend of China” and viewed Beijing as a top-priority and indispensable partner.
China operationalised its naval logistic base at Djibouti in the Horn of Africa on August 1. It is the first Chinese base abroad.
Mr. Guellah expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral ties over the past three decades and more, and thanked China for its assistance and support to Djibouti.
The two countries signed deals on economic, technical and agricultural cooperation after the talk, the report said.
