Chinese premier meets Tunisia's president

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Tunisian President Kais Saied at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, May 30, 2024. Kais Saied, who is in China on a state visit, attended the opening ceremony of the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. [Photo by Liu Weibing/Xinhua]

BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Tunisian President Kais Saied in Beijing on Thursday.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Tunisia, Li said, noting that over the past 60 years, China-Tunisia relations have maintained sound and steady development, benefiting the two peoples.

China is ready to work with Tunisia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, carry forward the tradition of friendship and mutual trust, advance exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and work together to pave the way for an even better future for the two countries, Li said.

He noted that China firmly supports Tunisia in actively exploring a development path with Tunisian characteristics and firmly opposes external interference in Tunisia's internal affairs.

China is ready to work with Tunisia to deepen practical cooperation guided by high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, make solid progress in key cooperation projects, and expand cooperation in trade and renewable energy, Li said.

China is willing to import more quality products from Tunisia and will continue to encourage competent Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Tunisia, Li said, calling on the two sides to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in health, youth education, tourism and archaeology, and continue to enhance the friendship between the two peoples.

China is ready to work with Tunisia to make every effort to build a China-Arab community with a shared future for the new era and promote the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, Li said, urging joint efforts from the two sides to strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Saied said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have achieved rapid development and pragmatic cooperation has achieved fruitful results.

Tunisia firmly abides by the one-China principle, unwaveringly supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely opposes the interference of external forces in China's internal affairs, Saied said, adding that Tunisia greatly appreciates China's high-level cooperation projects in Tunisia and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in infrastructure construction, health care, tourism and other fields. 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Tunisian President Kais Saied at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, May 30, 2024. Kais Saied, who is in China on a state visit, attended the opening ceremony of the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. [Photo by Liu Weibing/Xinhua]