China, Mauritius sign agreement on FTA talks

China and Mauritius signed four bilateral cooperation agreements on Sunday, including one that concludes the negotiation on a free trade agreement, witnessed by Premier Li Keqiang and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.

The signing ceremony came after Premier Li's meeting with Jugnauth in Beijing. Jugnauth arrived to Beijing to attend the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Bilateral ties have seen smooth development, Li said. China appreciates Mauritius’s firm support for the one-China principle, he said. China and Mauritius have reached an agreement on negotiation of a free trade agreement, and is willing to work with Mauritius to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, he said.

China is ready to boost cooperation with Mauritius in tackling climate change, with special attention to small island nations’ reasonable concerns, Li said.

Jugnauth said Mauritius is committed to enhancing bilateral relations and Africa-China relations. He extended gratitude to China's help in his country’s infrastructure construction and financing, which have promoted the economic and social transformation of Mauritius.

He also said Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in Mauritius, which will provide a platform for business exchanges between China and Africa.