China, Republic of Congo vow to strengthen relationship

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that China is ready to work with the Republic of Congo to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, steadily advance practical cooperation and take bilateral relations to new heights.

Wang made the remarks when meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs, La Francophonie and Congolese Abroad of the Republic of Congo Constant-Serge Bounda in Beijing.

The Republic of Congo was the first African country to sign the Early Harvest Arrangement for the Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development with China.

Wang noted that cooperation between the two countries has yielded positive results across various fields.

As co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Wang said that China and the Republic of Congo have actively fulfilled their responsibilities, with the implementation rate of the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit appraoching 100 percent.

He called on the two countries to maintain close coordination in preparing for the 10th FOCAC ministerial conference, scheduled to be held in the Republic of Congo in 2027, so as to further upgrade and elevate China-Africa cooperation.

China will continue to support the African nation in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and opposing all forms of bullying by external forces, he said.

Wang also said that China supports African countries in playing a greater role on the international stage.

China stands ready to work with the African side to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, promote democracy in international relations, and build a fairer and more equitable global governance system that reflects the shared aspirations of Global South countries, he said.

Noting that the Republic of Congo is a founding member of both the International Organization for Mediation and the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, Wang called on the two sides to make good use of these multilateral platforms to strengthen communication and coordination and uphold fairness and justice.

Bounda said that China's zero-tariff policy has widely benefited African countries, including the Republic of Congo.

He also expressed appreciation for China's assistance in combating Ebola and strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the continent.