China-Africa action plan lauded

Sao Tome and Principe gains fruitful results

President Xi Jinping and Sao Tome and Principe's Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada jointly announced on Thursday the decision to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

Trovoada, who is on an official visit to China, is attending the ongoing 2024 FOCAC Summit in Beijing.

Xi said that in recent years, bilateral relations have maintained a good momentum of development and pragmatic cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. Sao Tome and Principe's return to the China-Africa family of friendly cooperation fully aligns with the shared interests of both peoples, he added.

China will, as always, support Sao Tome and Principe's efforts to advance its national construction and economic development, and is willing to work together to actively implement the outcomes of the summit and drive the strategic partnership for the betterment of the two peoples, Xi said.

He emphasized that the two sides should stay committed to the general direction of friendship and "firmly support each other on issues involving one another's core interests and major concerns".

The two countries should explore cooperation in areas such as tourism, agriculture, fisheries and infrastructure to allow Sao Tome and Principe to benefit more from the outcomes of the summit, Xi added.

Trovoada thanked China for its valuable support in his country's development.

The new action plan put forward by Xi in his speech at the summit's opening ceremony will strongly boost the development of his country and Africa, Trovoada said.

Sao Tome and Principe firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and hopes to further consolidate political mutual trust and strengthen its partnership with China, in order to provide a strong guarantee for realizing its long-term economic development, he added.