On the afternoon of May 26, 2023, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who was in China for a state visit. The two heads of state announced the elevation of the bilateral relationship from a strategic partnership of win-win cooperation to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
Xi Jinping pointed out that China and the DRC have established a profound traditional friendship in the historical process of striving for national liberation and opposing colonial aggression, and the two countries are strategic partners sharing broad common understandings and working jointly for common progress. Xi said in recent years, bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. China has been the largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment for the DRC for many consecutive years, and the two sides have become a close-knit community with shared interests and a shared future. The successful experience of Chinese modernization shows that developing countries have the right and ability to explore paths to modernization suited to their national conditions. China is ready to work with the DRC to further synergize their development strategies, and support each other and pursue cooperation for greater development and common progress on their paths to development and revitalization. Xi Jinping expressed the confidence that China's high-quality development will create more cooperation opportunities and a broader market for the DRC, and promote greater progress of bilateral relations.
Xi Jinping pointed out that China will continue to provide assistance for the economic and social development of the DRC, support the DRC's industrialization strategy, strengthen cooperation with the DRC in such fields as energy, minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing, and further tap into their potential of cooperation in such fields as digital economy, education and health. China is also ready to send agricultural technology experts to the DRC. China hopes that the DRC will provide policy support and convenient services to Chinese enterprises investing and doing business in the DRC, and foster a fair, just, and safe business environment. China is ready to work with the DRC to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs, jointly practice true multilateralism, and uphold international fairness and justice.
Xi Jinping stressed that China and Africa, being the world's largest developing country and the continent home to the largest number of developing countries, have always been a community with a shared future. Under the current international circumstances, China and Africa should strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever. Both sides should stay committed to carrying on the basic norms governing international relations, reject all forms of hegemonism and power politics, oppose interference in other countries’ internal affair, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. China firmly supports Africa in pursuing an independent development path and becoming an important pole in the world politically, economically, and culturally. China is ready to create new opportunities for African countries with its own new development, and will work with African brothers to follow through on the outcomes of the Dakar meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, advance the Belt and Road cooperation, support Africa in achieving sustainable development, and jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
On behalf of the people of the DRC, Tshisekedi once again expressed warm congratulations on the success of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Two Sessions of China, on President Xi Jinping's re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of China, and on China's great achievements in the new era under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. He expressed the confidence that China will realize the second centenary goal. Tshisekedi noted that the friendly cooperation between the DRC and China, having withstood the test of time and achieved fruitful results over the past half a century, deserves to be cherished by both sides. He thanked China for its important help and valuable support for the DRC's economic and social development over the years, and stressed that the DRC remains firmly committed to the one-China policy and firmly supports China's efforts to realize national reunification. The DRC is ready to work with China to deepen cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, resources, infrastructure and healthcare, enrich the DRC-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and build a mature, stable and groundbreaking DRC-China relationship for the benefit of the two peoples.
After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation agreements in such areas as investment, green economy and digital economy.
The two sides issued a Joint Statement on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Prior to the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for Tshisekedi at the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People.
Upon Tshisekedi's arrival, honor guards lined up in salutation. As the two heads of state stepped onto the stand, the military band played the national anthems of China and the DRC, and a 21-gun salute was fired at Tian’anmen Square. Tshisekedi reviewed the guard of honor of the People's Liberation Army and watched the march-past in the company of President Xi Jinping.
Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan and Tshisekedi's wife Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi also attended the welcome ceremony. On that evening, Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan hosted a welcome banquet for Tshisekedi and his wife Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi at the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People.
Wang Yi, among others, was present at the above events.
