Editor's note: President Xi Jinping held bilateral meetings on Thursday with foreign leaders who are in Beijing to attend the ongoing 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Botswana embraces strategic partnership

The robust China-Africa cooperation not only benefits the Chinese and African peoples, but also drives international cooperation with Africa, creating favorable conditions for the continent's development and vitalization, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.

He made the remark when meeting with Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi in Beijing. The two leaders announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Botswana.

Xi said the 2024 FOCAC Summit has brought China and its African brothers together, aligning the development of China, Africa and the world more closely and unleashing the positive energy of the Global South to promote global peace, security, prosperity and progress.

Noting that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Xi called on both sides to work as partners who trust each other, develop together and foster strong people-to-people bonds.

He underlined the need for the two countries to steadfastly support each other and enhance cooperation in sectors such as industry, agriculture, mining, clean energy, education and healthcare.

Masisi lauded Xi's inspiring keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the summit, in which Xi announced new initiatives to support the partnership between China and Africa to promote modernization, along with China's opening-up policies dedicated to the continent.

Botswana fully supports these initiatives and policies with a strong belief that the vision outlined at the summit will come to fruition, he said.

He expressed gratitude to China for its long-standing support for Botswana, and said his country is willing to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to further advance bilateral relations.