China, Eritrea Sign Agreements as Chinese FM Wraps Two Days Working Visit

January 5, 2022

Chinese FM and State Minister conveyed message from President Xi Jinping to Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki 

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister , Mr Wang Yi, and Eritrean Foreign Affairs Minister, Osman Saleh, signing joint statement on January 5, 2022 in Asmara ( Photo : Ministry of Information of Eritrea)

Borkena

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister , Mr.  Minister Wang Yi, had a two days working visit to Eritrea which he completed on Wednesday January 5, 2021. 

The visit was initiated by the Ministry Foreign Affairs of Eritrea. During his visit,  he  met with Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki and Foreign Minister Osman Saleh. 

Based on information from the Ministry of Information of Ethiopia, strategic partnership between the two countries was among the topics of discussion. 

President Isaias has received an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit China for in-depth talks on strategic partnership between the two countries.

It is the second time for Mr Wang Yi to visit the region in less than two months. In early December 2021, he visited Ethiopia at a time when the U.S. government and its western allies introduced travel restrictions on alleged grounds of security concern in Ethiopia.

Mr. Wang and Eritrean leaders are, apparently, on the same page when it comes to respect for the sovereignty of countries and opposition to hegemonic intervention on alleged grounds of “human rights” and “democracy.” 

The ministry of Information of Eritrea has released the joint statement of the two ministers, which is featured below: 

Joint Statement by Foreign Ministers of the State of Eritrea and the People’s Republic of China

5 January, 2022, Asmara

At the invitation of H.E. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea, H.E. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, undertook an official visit to Eritrea from 4 to 5 January 2022. During the visit, State Coucilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held bilateral talks respectively with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and H.E. President Isaias Afwerki.  Both sides had in-depth exchanges of views on various bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest in a cordial and candid manner.

Both sides are encouraged by the confirmation of further consolidation and development of the Strategic Partnership by the two Heads of State, and agreed that the Strategic Partnership of the two countries rooted on the tradition of mutual support, based on similarities in the historical trajectories of the two countries and their shared values, predicated on respect of the rule of law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and cooperation, aimed at promoting global and regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Both sides agreed to actively conduct practical cooperation, under the framework of the Strategic Partnership and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, in various sectors of mutual interest.

Both sides agreed to uphold the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind, and oppose hegemonic interferences in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights. The Chinese side stands against any unilateral sanctions on Eritrea.  The Eritrean side reaffirms adherence to the one-China principle.