On the morning of September 2, 2024, President Xi Jinping met with President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi, who is in China for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi Jinping welcomed Felix Tshisekedi to attend the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Xi Jinping noted that he and Tshisekedi jointly elevated the China-DRC relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in May last year. Many common understandings reached between the two heads of state then have been implemented. Bilateral practical cooperation in various fields has advanced by leaps and bounds, benefiting both sides. It is of strategic significance and serves as a model for developing countries to jointly advance modernization. China is comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization with high-quality development, while the DRC is entering a new stage of national development and revitalization. The two countries are partners on the path to modernization and should be sincere friends with common ideals and beliefs, mutually beneficial partners, and good friends working together for peace. China supports the DRC in safeguarding national sovereignty and realizing independent development, and is ready to consolidate political mutual trust with the DRC, firmly support each other, seek common development, deepen cooperation in agriculture, mineral products processing, vocational training and other fields, and continue to help the DRC turn its resource advantage into momentum for development.
Xi Jinping stressed that at the summit, China and Africa will define the new positioning of China-Africa relations, announce a series of major measures to jointly advance modernization, and draw a new blueprint together for the growth of China-Africa relations. China is ready to work with the DRC to seize historic opportunities, strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, join hands to promote China-Africa cooperation, jointly safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and encourage countries in the "Global South" to pursue peace and development in a changing world.
Felix Tshisekedi said, the DRC and China are brothers with solid and sincere friendship. Based on equality, respect and a high degree of mutual trust, bilateral cooperation has achieved mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. The DRC side admires President Xi Jinping's outstanding leadership and hopes to learn from China's successful experience, take China as a top priority partner for cooperation, and continuously deepen friendship and practical cooperation in various fields. He thanked China for supporting the DRC in safeguarding its national sovereignty and independence. The DRC firmly pursues the one-China policy and recognizes Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory. The FOCAC has provided an important opportunity for African countries to realize their development dreams. He expressed the belief that the summit will be a complete success and deliver more tangible results to the people of African countries.
During the summit, China and the DRC will sign a number of bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as economic partnership for common development, human resources development, customs capacity building, and press.
Wang Yi was present at the meeting.
