Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
China will adhere to the friendly policy in conducting its
relations with Somalia, Xi noted during a meeting with the Somali President
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
(FOCAC) summit held in Johannesburg.
The Chinese president
urged the two countries to take the fulfillment of the summit's consensus as an
opportunity to deepen their cooperation in various areas, saying that China is
willing to help the Somali people to realize lasting peace and national
reconstruction.
Reaffirming China's firm support to the national
reconciliation and peace process in Somalia, Xi said that China welcomes the
Somalis in all fields and at all levels to visit China for exchange.
China will also support the Somali efforts of economic
recovery and national reconstruction, said the Chinese president, vowing to
increase China's aid to Somalia and encourage more Chinese enterprises to
engage in mutually beneficial cooperation in the African country.
In the security sector, Xi noted that China will continue to
help Somalia strengthen its national defense and security capability, and
provide assistance to the African Union Mission in Somalia.
Stressing the long-term friendship between the two
countries, Mohamud, for his part, thanked China for its support to the Somali national
reconstruction and peace process, especially the re-opening of its embassy in
Somalia last October.
Somalia is willing to deepen its cooperation with China,
engage in cooperation under the Beijing-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and
actively fulfill the consensus made in the Johannesburg summit, the Somali
president said.
The Johannesburg meeting, which opened Friday, is the second
summit of the 15-year-old FOCAC.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
China firmly supports Somalia's efforts of national reconstruction and stands ready to increase its aid to the Eastern African country, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday.