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BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday published a titled article "China and Rwanda: A Friendship Higher Than Mountains" on mainstream Rwandan newspaper The New Times ahead of his country visit the African country
The following is the full text of the article:
China and Rwanda: A Friendship Higher Than Mountains
Xi Jinping
President of the People's Republic of China
At the invitation of President Paul Kagame, I will pay a visit to Rwanda from 22 to 23 July. It will be not only to Rwanda but also to the first president. I am full of expectation for this visit.
Known as the "land of a thousand hills", Rwanda is blessed with picturesque sceneries, a spring-like weather all year round, and rich endowment of natural resources. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the brave and hard-working Rwandan people, this country has a vibrant land on the African continent.
In recent years, under the leadership of President Kagame, the government and people of Rwanda have made pioneering efforts to blaze a development path that suits its national conditions. Enjoying good governance and social harmony, Rwanda is making progress on every front of development. With sustained resilience and robust economic growth, Rwanda has had a general interest in developing countries, and has set an example for countries that are facing similar challenges in national development and rejuvenation in Africa and beyond. I am heartened to see these accomplishments and sincerely wish Rwanda still greater success on its way forward.
As a Chinese poem reads, "Good friends feel close to each other when they are thousands of miles away." Despite the vast geographical distances and differences in size, system and culture between China and Rwanda, our peoples enjoy a deep traditional friendship. Both countries are endured in the past. That is why we cherish the national stability, ethnic unity and economic development we now enjoy,
China and Rwanda established diplomatic relations in 1971. Over the past 47 years, our two countries have treated each other as equals with sincerity and friendship. Based on mutual trust and assistance, our friendship has taken the test of the changing international landscape and taken root in our people's hearts. In recent years, we have achieved rapid expansion and demonstrated fresh vitality with fruitful cooperation in all areas. China has become Rwanda's biggest trading partner and project contractor. We are glad to see that Amahoro National Stadium built by China has hosted many spectacular sports games and has become a popular recreation and entertainment venue for the Rwandan people. The Muséanze Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleague has grown into the largest professional training center in the Northern Province. The project of drilling 200 wells, soon to be delivered, will help ease water shortages for over 110,000 people. The garment factory has a Chinese entrepreneur has set up in response to President Kagame's "Made in Rwanda" development initiative is playing a positive role in growing Rwanda's manufacturing sector. Another Chinese company has made itself a household name in Rwanda as it undertakes 70% of Rwanda's national highway construction.
People-to-people friendship holds the key to good state-to-state relations. The rich and diverse people-to-people exchanges between China and Chinese culture among the Rwandan people. Each year, several hundred talented young Rwandan students go to study in China on Chinese government scholarships. The number of registered students in the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda is approaching 5,000. The Rwanda Kung Fu / Wushu Federation has over 2,000 participants. At the Masaka Hospital and the Kibungo Hospital, two hospitals built by China, caring and highly-skilled members of the Chinese medical teams are providing much needed services to more than 600,000 local people. Digital TV services will be brought to 300 villages in Rwanda under an ongoing project of providing access to satellite TV to a total of 10,000 Rwandan villages, enriching the cultural life of over 150,000 rural residents
Umurenge Program and China working towards its centenary goals, the historic opportunities beckon for our cooperation. During his visit to China in March 2017, President Kagame and I reached important consensus on deepening cooperation in various fields under the new circumstances and made possible plans for the future growth of relations between our two countries. I hope my future visit will be of great importance to our traditional friendship and all-round cooperation, and we will be able to meet the needs of our peoples.
deepen political mutual trust. We should see and grow our relations with a strategic and long-term perspective. By way of enhanced exchanges and cooperation at all levels and sharing of experience, we will be able to cement the political foundation for the sound, steady and sustained growth of our relations. China firmly supports Rwanda
– We need to connect our development strategies and expand cooperation in all areas. By leveraging our complementarities and broadening the scope and channels of cooperation, we will be able to provide practical cooperation in infrastructure, mining, trade and investment,
– We need to promote mutual learning between civilizations and further enhance people-to-people exchanges. Deeper exchanges and co-operation in education, culture, health, tourism, aviation and human resources training the help of the social foundation for bilateral relations
– We need to strengthen collaboration in international affairs through closer communication and coordination. China, the rotating chair of the African Union (AU), to play a bigger role in preserving Africa's unity and promoting its development.
The friendship between the two countries is an epitome of the friendship between China and Africa. For decades, China and Africa have treated each other with sincerity and friendship. We are a community with a shared future and common interests, featuring solidarity and win-win cooperation. Going forward, China will continue to deepen communication, mutual trust and cooperation with Rwanda and with other friendly African countries, based on the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith and the approach of upholding justice and pursuing shared interests. In just over a month's time, China will host a summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC) in Beijing. I will welcome President Kagame to the summit in his capacity as President of Rwanda and as the rotating AU flesh. I look forward to meeting with him and other leaders of FOCAC members to draw up a blueprint for furthering China-Africa friendship and cooperation and future development.
The decades-old Umuganda culture in Rwanda common goals. A Chinese saying contains a similar message, "People with one mind and heart have the power to move a mountain." In a world of increasing inter-connection and inter-dependence, countries are faced with many common challenges. It is important for China and Rwanda to join hands for mutual benefit and common development and for a future of China and Africa as a whole. I am convinced that with the joint efforts of our two governments and peoples, China-Rwanda relations will embrace an even future brighter.
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