Mauritius-Shanxi partnership to boost mutual development

A delegation from the Communist Party of China led by Luo Huining, Party chief of Shanxi province, visited Mauritius on Sept 10 and 11.

Luo met with local government officials, including Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, Vice-Prime Minister Showkutally Soodhun and Nandcoomar Bodha, secretary-general of the Militant Socialist Movement Party. The officials exchanged views on strengthening the relationship between China and Mauritius.

The visit to Mauritius is part of a move taken by the Chinese government to implement steps agreed by the two governments and to implement the consensus all sides agreed to at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, said Luo.

Jugnauth stressed that the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is of great significance to African countries and Mauritius is willing to open its economy to Chinese companies.

The delegation, along with five Mauritian ministers and two mayors from Port Louis and Quatre Bornes, attended the opening ceremony of the 2018 China Shanxi Film Week which screened six Chinese films at the China Culture Center in the country's capital, Port Louis.

I hope that Chinese movies can help people in Mauritius learn about our country's culture, said Luo.

On Sept 11, the Shanxi delegation and five Mauritian ministers witnessed a trial run of Eden Garden's cultural and entertainment plaza and an unveiling ceremony for Cinda Shanxi-Africa Belt and Road Foundation in Mauritius JinFei Economic Trade and Cooperation Zone, which is Shanxi's first overseas special economic zone.

The zone has so far attracted more than 40 companies from France, South Africa, India and Madagascar with its intelligent operations and management system based on big data and internet of things technologies.

Shanxi will further cooperate with Mauritius in developing a more intelligent economic trade and cooperation zone focusing on the international modern service industry so as to fuel mutual development, according to officials from the two sides.