Li stresses cultivating growth drivers to further boost development momentum

Premier Li Qiang stressed on Thursday that China stands ready to deepen cooperation with Togo in various fields to better serve the modernization drive of both countries, as the two countries issued a joint statement on building a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era.

Li made the remarks while meeting in Beijing with Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, president of the Council of the Togolese Republic, who is on an eight-day official visit to China through Friday. Li held a welcoming ceremony for the West African leader at the Great Hall of the People.

During their meeting after the ceremony, Li said that no matter how the international landscape evolves, China and Togo should be good brothers and good partners that trust each other, carry forward their traditional friendship and cement political mutual trust.

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Li said that China is willing to work with Togo to further align development strategies, cultivate more growth drivers for cooperation, and strengthen collaboration in connectivity, infrastructure, agricultural modernization, finance and other fields, in order to boost their development momentum.

China stands ready to import more quality products from Togo, and welcomes Togo to make full use of China's zero-tariff treatment and the upgraded green lanes for Togolese products exported to China, Li said.

Gnassingbe said that China's rapid development has set an example for the world, and expressed his country's readiness to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields to improve the well-being of the two peoples.

Togo supports resolving differences and addressing hotspot issues in Africa through dialogue, and is set to strengthen multilateral coordination with China to safeguard regional peace and stability, he added.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents covering areas including industrial and supply chains, human resources, customs inspection and quarantine, and media collaboration.

Ties with Botswana

In a separate meeting on Thursday with Botswana's President Duma Gideon Boko, who is in Beijing for a state visit, Li said that in recent years, China-Botswana relations have maintained a sound momentum of development.

Li expressed China's willingness to work with Botswana to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, better leverage their complementary economic strengths, make good use of mechanisms such as the joint commission on economy and trade, and deepen cooperation in areas such as mining, digital technology, green energy and artificial intelligence to achieve more tangible results.

Boko said Botswana deeply admires China's development achievements, and highlighted that the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is a milestone.

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Botswana will leverage China's zero-tariff treatment, expand its trade with China, and further strengthen practical cooperation, he added.

Liu Qinghai, a researcher at Zhejiang Normal University's Institute of African Studies, said the two high-level visits and the upgrading of both bilateral relationships are more than mere statements of friendship. Rather, these moves have laid a solid political foundation for subsequent cooperation, she added.

Liu noted that the high-level talks have consistently highlighted zero-tariff treatment, green lanes, the vision of a shared future and core principles for collaboration.

Contact the writers at jihaisheng@chinadaily.com.cn