The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Maneesh Gobin, received, yesterday at the seat of his Ministry in Port Louis, the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs and Ambassador for the Affairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Mr Liu Yuxi, accompanied by a delegation including the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, Mr Zhu Liying.
During the meeting, Minister Gobin dwelt on the strong and historical ties between Mauritius and the People's Republic of China, highlighting the cordial relations across political, diplomatic, economic, cultural, and people-to-people fronts. He noted that China, as a "pays de peuplement", exemplifies the excellent rapport between the two nations.
Mauritius, he said, is eager to elevate its cooperation with China, particularly with the coming into force of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first of its kind between China and an African nation. This FTA marks a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship and opens new avenues for economic collaboration, added the Minister.
Mr Gobin expressed his wish that both countries work together in view of relaunching direct flights between Mauritius and China, which would greatly enhance tourism and trade exchanges. He further reaffirmed Mauritius' long-standing recognition of the One China Policy and announced that Mauritius will send a high-level delegation, led by the Vice-President, to the FOCAC from 04 to 06 September 2024. According to the Minister, this participation reflects Mauritius' ambition to play a meaningful role in the China-Africa development partnership.
Additionally, he expressed the appreciation of the Government of Mauritius to China for lending support to Mauritius' sovereignty claim over the Chagos Archipelago.
As for Mr Liu Yuxi, he highlighted the longstanding and deep-rooted friendship between Mauritius and China. He emphasised China's commitment to supporting both large and small countries and reiterated the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and fostering friendship between both nations.
Furthermore, Mr Liu Yuxi pledged China's support for the development of small island nations like Mauritius and reiterated China's aid to Mauritius in its quest for sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. He expressed hope to additionally solidify Sino-African relations and underscored the role of FOCAC as an effective platform for enhancing exchanges between China and Africa.
China, he stated, attaches great importance to the electric bus project and is ready to work with Mauritius to accelerate its implementation. He also pointed out that the Chinese market is open to more Mauritian agricultural and aquatic products.
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Moreover, the Special representative encouraged Chinese companies to invest and collaborate with Mauritius, contributing to its industrial diversification. Although the two countries do not yet have a single-channel cooperation mechanism, he believes that the current achievements prove the success of their collaborative efforts.
FOCAC
FOCAC is an official forum between the People's Republic of China and all states in Africa with the exception of the Kingdom of Eswatini. It is the primary multi-lateral coordination mechanism between African countries and China and since 2018 is viewed by those countries as a cooperation platform within the Belt and Road Initiative. FOCAC emphasises pragmatic cooperation through initiatives like the China-Africa Development Fund, the China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation Fund, and the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to facilitate infrastructure development, industrialisation, and sustainable growth across Africa.
