BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held a phone conversation with Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedu Andargachew, with both sides agreeing to enhance solidarity and cooperation between China and African countries in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wang said that China and Ethiopia are good friends and partners.
In the fight against COVID-19, China and Ethiopia have been understanding and supporting each other, which has further enhanced their friendship and mutual trust and consolidated the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Wang said.
Wang stressed that China is ready to work with African friends, including Ethiopia, to implement the outcomes of the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19.
First, China will continue to provide emergency assistance to African countries in the light of the development of the epidemic, and send medical and health teams to exchange experience with African countries, Wang said.
Second, China will promote the implementation of the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit to be more focused on such areas as health care, resumption of work and production and improvement of people's livelihood, he added.
Third, the construction of the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention should start before the end of this year, Wang said.
Fourth, China will accelerate negotiations with African countries and implementation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative of the Group of 20 members, he said.
Wang pointed out that both China and Ethiopia are developing countries and share common interests in safeguarding their respective sovereignty and dignity.
China appreciates Ethiopia's support for China's just claim on the Hong Kong issue, Wang said, underlining that the Hong Kong issue is entirely China's internal affair.
Some countries and forces use human rights as an excuse to try to sabotage Hong Kong and thus prevent the development and revitalization of China, Wang said.
China firmly opposes politicizing the human rights issue and the use of the issue to interfere in other countries' internal affairs, Wang added.
China will unswervingly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and the common interests of developing countries, Wang said.
For his part, Gedu congratulated China on the success of the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 and a high-level video conference on Belt and Road international cooperation, which fully demonstrated China's commitment to international solidarity in the fight against COVID-19.
Ethiopia thanks China for its support to African countries and for its help in building the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which is crucial to strengthening Africa's public health system, he said.
Ethiopia firmly supports the one-China policy and the Hong Kong issue is China's internal affair, he said, adding that China's sovereignty should be respected on any international occasion.
Gedu also briefed Wang on the latest situation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam issue. Wang said China supports the parties concerned to continue to find mutually beneficial solutions through friendly consultations.
