Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Addis Ababa, capital of the East African country.

Abiy said that Ethiopia looks forward to strengthening exchanges of experience in governance and administration with China, uniting and leading all Ethiopian people to uphold independence and speed up national development and revitalization.

Abiy noted that Minister Qin chose Ethiopia as the first stop of his first overseas visit after taking office “fully demonstrated the profound friendship between our two countries and the importance of bilateral relations,” adding “the cooperation between Ethiopia and China in various fields such as infrastructure, green economy, agriculture, and industrial park construction has achieved remarkable results and has exemplary significance. It has helped Ethiopia’s economic growth rank among the top in Africa. More Chinese companies are welcome to invest in Ethiopia.”

Qin Gang on his part said that China will promote Chinese-style modernization, unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, firmly pursue the basic national policy of opening-up and a mutually beneficial and win-win opening strategy, and bring new opportunities for the development of all countries.

China supports Ethiopia in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions. The leaders of the two countries have maintained close exchanges in recent years, pointing out the direction for the development of China-Ethiopia relations under the new situation, said Qin, who took office as China’s new foreign minister very recently.

Minister Qin said that China is willing to expand cooperation in various fields between the two sides, and will encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Ethiopia and participate in the reconstruction process of Ethiopia. He expressed the hope that Ethiopia will provide a good business environment and take effective measures to protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese personnel and institutions.

During the visit, Qin Gang also held talks with Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hassen. The two sides signed cooperation documents in such areas as political consultations between the foreign ministries.