Rio de Janeiro, July 07, 2025 – The Europe Today: Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed China’s commitment to working with Ethiopia to promote the sustainable development of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and to deepen bilateral trade and investment ties, during a high-level meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro.
Highlighting the railway as a flagship project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Premier Li noted that the partnership between China and Ethiopia has remained resilient and forward-looking over the past 55 years, regardless of shifts in the global landscape. He emphasized that the cooperation between the two nations has long stood at the forefront of China-Africa relations.
Premier Li also recalled President Xi Jinping’s recent congratulatory letter to the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), held in June. In the letter, President Xi announced new key measures, including the implementation of zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for 53 African countries maintaining diplomatic ties with China.
Li said China would seize these new opportunities to fully implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and called for deepened, comprehensive bilateral cooperation. He expressed the desire for China-Ethiopia ties to serve as a model for the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Reiterating China’s steadfast support for Ethiopia’s independent development path, Premier Li pledged enhanced cooperation in infrastructure, new energy vehicles, green industries, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence. He also emphasized the importance of people-to-people exchanges in tourism, youth engagement, and education.
Noting the shared roles of China and Ethiopia as key members of the Global South, Li expressed China’s readiness to strengthen coordination within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and BRICS. He underscored the joint responsibility of both nations in promoting true multilateralism, defending economic globalization and free trade, and contributing positively to global stability.
In response, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described China as a reliable and strategic partner, expressing deep appreciation for China’s longstanding support for Ethiopia’s economic and social development. He welcomed China’s new FOCAC measures and underlined Ethiopia’s desire to enhance high-level exchanges and mutual political trust with Beijing.
Abiy said Ethiopia is eager to expand cooperation with China across diverse sectors including economy, trade, mining, communications, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and tourism. He also voiced support for stronger multilateral collaboration to foster continued momentum in bilateral relations.
Premier Li arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday to participate in the 17th BRICS Summit, where global development and cooperation among emerging economies remain key themes.
