Guinea-Bissau, China upgrade ties as presidents meet

Guinea-Bissau and China agreed on Wednesday, July 10th, to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

President Umaro Sissoco Embalo was hosted by his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, who emphasized the importance of strengthening exchanges and cooperation in education and youth to foster stronger people-to-people ties. Xi stated that China would continue to offer government scholarships and training opportunities to help Guinea-Bissau cultivate the talents needed for its national development.

Embalo praised the enduring relationship between the two nations. He recalled, “President Xi mentioned our national anthem just now, which we sing every day. It was written by our founding father and composed by a Chinese friend. This is something we will never forget. China has supported us before and after the founding of our country, and we have always stood together with China. China has not only helped Guinea-Bissau but has also supported the entire African continent.”

Xi highlighted the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) as a crucial platform for Chinese and African peoples to implement the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and promote common development. He noted that China celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in Beijing two weeks ago and announced that the next FOCAC summit is scheduled for this autumn in Beijing.

Xi emphasized the mutual support and assistance between China and African countries, describing it as a brotherhood marked by sincerity, amity, and good faith, serving as a model of solidarity and cooperation among developing countries. He called for joint efforts to create a new era under the new circumstances.

Following their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in various fields, including the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, economic development, customs inspection and quarantine, and geology and mining.

Embalo is on a five-day state visit, ending on July 13th.