On October 12, Zhao Long, Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, met in Fuzhou with Duma Gideon Boko, President of Botswana, and his delegation.

On behalf of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and the People’s Government of Fujian Province, Zhao Long welcomed President Boko and his delegation on their visit to Fujian, and gave a brief overview of Fujian’s high-quality economic and social development. He noted that China and Botswana enjoy a traditional friendship. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the development of China-Botswana relations. Last year, President Xi and President Boko exchanged congratulatory messages on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, opening a new chapter in the China-Botswana strategic partnership. Zhao Long expressed confidence that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Botswana strategic partnership will reach a higher level and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Zhao Long said that Fujian is thoroughly studying and implementing the guiding principles from President Xi Jinping’s important speeches, instructions and directives, remaining steadfast in promoting high-standard opening up, and advancing high-quality development on all fronts. We will earnestly implement the important understandings reached by the two heads of state, deepen the traditional friendship, and continue to deepen cooperation in such fields as healthcare, economy, trade and investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and sister-city relations, so as to jointly make new advances in friendly cooperation and help elevate China-Botswana friendship to new heights.

President Boko expressed appreciation for Zhao Long’s warm hospitality in Fujian. He said that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has lifted itself out of poverty and the whole nation is moving towards common prosperity, creating a great development miracle. He expressed heartfelt admiration for this and a strong desire to learn from China’s experience. Botswana attaches great importance to its profound friendship with Fujian and stands ready to further deepen and expand cooperation in healthcare, economy and trade, biomedicine, and sister-city relations, so as to help the friendly cooperative relations produce more outcomes.

Fan Yong, Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, and provincial leaders Wu Xielin and Wang Jinfu attended the meeting.