China, Africa enhancing partnership

Relations with Mauritania taken to new level

President Xi Jinping and visiting Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during their meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.

China and Mauritania are good friends and brothers who trust and help each other, Xi told Ghazouani.

The Chinese president expressed appreciation to Mauritania for its firm support on issues concerning China's core interests, pledging China's continuous support for Mauritania in pursuing a development path suiting its national conditions.

Xi expressed willingness to advance joint cooperation on the Belt and Road, deepen cooperation in areas such as fisheries and infrastructure, and build China-Mauritania relations into a model of friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation.

He commended Ghazouani for his positive contribution as the rotating chairman of the African Union in preparing for the 2024 FOCAC Summit.

China is willing to work closely with Mauritania to build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, enhance the voice and representation of Global South countries in global governance, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice, Xi said.

Ghazouani said that Mauritania is proud of its friendly relations with China, and pledged his nation's firm adherence to the one-China principle.

In the face of numerous global risks and challenges, deepening cooperation with China is the hope of countries like Mauritania to achieve sustainable development, he added.

The two sides have highly consistent positions on the Palestinian question and other matters, Ghazouani said. They firmly oppose interference in internal affairs of other countries and call for respect for the independence of all countries, he said.

Mauritania highly appreciates and supports the major initiatives proposed by Xi, which provide solutions to common security and development for all countries, Ghazouani said.

Mauritania looks forward to collaborating closely with China for the success of the summit and for promoting peace and development in Africa and the world, he added.