Kigali, 23 March 2016
President Kagame today received the Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress (NPC) of China, Mr. Zhang Dejiang who is on a two-day official visit in Rwanda.
Zhang Dejiang is the highest ranking Chinese leader to visit Rwanda since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1971.
Commenting on the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo said:
“Rwanda received with pleasure the Chairman of China’s National People’s Congress for a two-day visit. The visit had a dual goal: to advance the already excellent relations between the 2 countries, including collaboration on global matters, and on the other hand to follow up on the China-Africa Summit that took place in Johannesburg last December, where China’s president Xi Jinping rolled out for the continent a stepped up cooperation plan worth 60 million dollars over the next 3 years.”
The Ambassador of China to Rwanda, Pan Hejun, told press earlier on that Zhang’s visit is a milestone that will enhance relations between the two countries.
Zhang Dejiang also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Gisozi, where he observed a minute of silence and laid a wreath in honour of more than a million victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.