On the afternoon of September 5, 2024, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe Patrice Trovoada, who is in China for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and for an official visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The leaders of the two countries announced the elevation of the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.
Xi Jinping pointed out that in recent years, China's relations with Sao Tome and Principe have maintained a sound momentum of development and the two countries have achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields. Facts have proved that Sao Tome and Principe's return to the China-Africa family of friendly cooperation fully conforms to the common interests of the two peoples. China will, as always, support Sao Tome and Principe's efforts to advance national construction and economic development, and stands ready to work with Sao Tome and Principe to actively implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and promote the strategic partnership between the two countries to better benefit the people.
Xi Jinping stressed that the two sides should keep to the general direction of friendship, strengthen the sharing of experience in state governance, consolidate and enhance strategic mutual trust, and firmly support each other on issues related to each other's core interests and major concerns. He called on the two sides to explore cooperation in areas such as tourism, agriculture, fisheries and infrastructure, so that Sao Tome and Principe can benefit more from the outcomes of the summit. China is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with Sao Tome and Principe on international and regional issues to safeguard the common interests of the two countries and other developing countries.
Patrice Trovoada said that every time he visits China, it feels like returning home. He thanked China for providing invaluable assistance to Sao Tome and Principe's economic development, saying that the new measures announced by President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Summit in the morning will significantly boost the development of Sao Tome and Principe and Africa. Sao Tome and Principe highly appreciates President Xi Jinping for putting forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and other important visions and initiatives. Sao Tome and Principe firmly abides by the one-China principle and hopes to further consolidate political mutual trust between the two countries and enhance the partnership, so as to provide a strong guarantee for Sao Tome and Principe's long-term economic development.
The two sides issued the Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe on Establishing a Strategic Partnership.
Wang Yi was present at the meeting.
