China to provide COVID-19 vaccine aid for Ethiopia: FM

BEIJING -- China has decided to provide Ethiopia with a batch of COVID-19 vaccines and financial assistance to help the African country fight the pandemic and restore its economy, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday.

In a phone conversation with Demeke Mekonnen, Ethiopia's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Wang said the friendship between China and Ethiopia has stood the test of the changing international situation, and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation has yielded fruitful results, setting an important example for China-Africa cooperation.

China has always attached importance to Ethiopia's important positions and role in Africa and is willing to see Ethiopia exert greater influence on regional and international affairs, said Wang, adding China hopes and believes that Ethiopia will continue to firmly support China on issues concerning China's core interests.

Demeke wished the Chinese people a happy Spring Festival, saying that Ethiopia enjoys traditional friendship with China and the two countries have maintained close cooperation in the areas of finance, economy and trade, and infrastructure construction.

Ethiopia always pursues a friendly policy towards China and firmly supports China on issues concerning its core interests, said Demeke, adding that Ethiopia thanks China for its COVID-19 vaccine assistance and appreciates China's selfless help with Ethiopia's economic and social construction. He also introduced the latest developments in Ethiopia's domestic situation.

Wang said China sincerely hopes that Ethiopia will maintain peace and stability, and expects Ethiopia's Tigray region to resume normal production and life soon, carry out inclusive dialogue and safeguard national unity, noting that China will provide emergency food aid to ease the hardship of the people there.

The ministers also exchanged views on hot issues concerning the Horn of Africa.