Comoros seen as model of partnership equality

President Xi Jinping and Comorian President Azali Assoumani announced the elevation of ties between the two countries to a strategic partnership as they met in Beijing on Monday.

Noting that China was the first country to have established diplomatic relations with the Comoros, and that next year will mark the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, Xi said the two countries have given each other firm political support and conducted fruitful pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

The two countries have set an example of relations between countries of different sizes, featuring equality, solidarity and cooperation, Xi said.

China stands ready to conduct poverty-reduction cooperation with the Comoros and support the people of the Comoros in leveraging their country's geographical advantages and maritime resources for development, Xi said.

China is willing to help the African country achieve its goal of eliminating malaria by 2025, Xi added.

He said China hopes to take the 2024 FOCAC Summit as an opportunity to expand pragmatic cooperation with the Comoros in trade, investment, infrastructure, marine fisheries and climate change.

Xi said China will uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and strengthen communication and collaboration with the Comoros.

Azali said the Comoros hopes to strengthen friendly ties with China and make the ties a model of Africa-China cooperation.

The Comoros supports China in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and achieving national reunification, Azali said.

The Comoros hopes to strengthen communication and collaboration with China within multilateral frameworks, promote unity and cooperation among developing countries and resolve regional conflicts through dialogue, Azali said.

Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, also met with Azali in Beijing on Monday.