Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, president of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2024. Xi held talks with Obiang, who is in China on a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

China and Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.

This was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, president of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, during their talks in Beijing.

Xi said China and Equatorial Guinea are good friends and partners, and their relations feature a high level of political mutual trust.

Since they established diplomatic ties more than half a century ago, the two sides have been helping each other through thick and thin, and firmly supporting each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, he said.

Under the new circumstances, consolidating and developing China-Equatorial Guinea relations conforms to the fundamental interests and common expectations of the two countries and peoples, Xi said.

China firmly supports Equatorial Guinea in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence, opposing foreign interference, and independently exploring its own development path, he said.

China is ready to take the opportunity of elevating bilateral ties to further deepen friendly exchanges with Equatorial Guinea, and exchange experience in reform, development and poverty alleviation to inject lasting impetus into the two countries' traditional friendship, Xi said.

Xi pointed out that China supports Equatorial Guinea's economic and social development, supports the country's efforts to promote economic diversification and industrialization, and is willing to closely synergize the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) achievements and the Belt and Road Initiative with "Equatorial Guinea Agenda 2035" to improve the quality and performance of cooperation in various fields.

China encourages capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Equatorial Guinea, and is willing to share development experience in the fields of agriculture and rural affairs with Equatorial Guinea, continue conducting agricultural technical assistance projects, give full play to the role of Chinese medical teams and China-Equatorial Guinea Friendship Hospital, and deepen medical care, education, exchanges and cooperation in cultural and other fields, to pass on the traditional friendship between the two countries from generation to generation and better benefit the two peoples, Xi said.

Emphasizing that the world today is intertwined with turmoil, the changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and human society is facing unprecedented challenges, Xi said that developing countries need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever.

China is willing to work with Equatorial Guinea and other developing countries to carry forward the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international equity and justice, to build a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.

Noting that developing solidarity and cooperation with African countries is an important cornerstone of China's foreign policy, Xi said China is willing to hold a new FOCAC summit with Africa, further carry forward traditional friendship, deepen solidarity and cooperation, discuss future development and cooperation plans, and open a new chapter in building a China-Africa community with a shared future.

Obiang said that China is a great eastern country, a good brother and reliable strategic partner of Equatorial Guinea. Since the two countries established diplomatic relations 54 years ago, their bilateral relations have always maintained a friendly development and are currently at the best period in history. The cooperation between China and Equatorial Guinea has always been based on equality and mutual respect, and is never imposed on others.

Obiang mentioned that Chinese medical teams in Africa, China-Equatorial Guinea Friendship Hospital and other important projects have benefited the local people and become a symbol of friendship between Africa and China. Equatorial Guinea is willing to open its doors to China, welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and carry out cooperation in Equatorial Guinea to help Equatorial Guinea achieve economic diversification and industrialization, and ensure the lasting and healthy national development.

Obiang said the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi, are conducive to promoting global peace and progress and creating a better world.

Equatorial Guinea highly appreciates China's active efforts in promoting the political settlement of regional hotspot issues and promoting world peace and development, said Obiang. Equatorial Guinea is willing to strengthen cooperation with China within the frameworks of the FOCAC, BRICS and others, to promote a global governance system that is more fair and equitable, he added.

Noting that Equatorial Guinea firmly upholds the one-China principle, Obiang said there is only one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Equatorial Guinea opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and firmly supports the efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve complete reunification, he said.

The two heads of state witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents on investment, economic development, digital economy, green development, implementing the Global Development Initiative and other fields.

The two sides also issued a joint statement on establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.