The second China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo is a key milestone in the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
This gathering builds on an important commitment made by His Excellency President Xi Jinping at the ground-breaking FOCAC Summit held in Beijing in 2018.
We have already seen the value of this event. At the first Expo in 2019, Rwandan companies secured rewarding trade deals, notably in the supply of specialty agricultural commodities to the Chinese market.
This success has served to raise the ambition of our agribusiness sector even higher, and we appreciate the positive response by Chinese consumers to Rwanda’s high-quality chilli, tea, and coffee.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Rwanda and the People’s Republic of China. Our firm intention is to deepen our relationship even further in the next half-century of cooperation.
I wish to take this opportunity to commend the hosts of this year’s Expo: the leadership and the people of Hunan Province. The City of Kigali and Hunan Province are exploring mutually beneficial economic and educational cooperation, and we look forward to working with you.
I wish to inform you that Rwanda grants a visa on arrival to all Chinese citizens. So allow me to extend a sincere invitation to Chinese tourists to visit Rwanda and experience the excitement of unique wildlife and warm African hospitality.
I wish to close with a word of thanks and appreciation to President Xi Jinping for the various forms of solidarity and practical assistance that China has extended to Rwanda and Africa in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
These actions testify to the strength of the friendship between Africa and China and the importance of always striving to further improve our performance in joint endeavours.
I thank you for your kind attention and I wish you fruitful deliberations.