By Marie Willie
MONROVIA, Oct. 21 (LINA)— Chinese President Xi Jinping and Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko have agreed to elevate relations between their two countries to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.
The announcement was made during talks on October 13, 2026 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where President Boko is on a state visit to China aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations and expanding cooperation in key sectors.
According to the release from the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, dated October 16,2026, President Xi highlighted the longstanding friendship between China and Botswana, recalling Botswana’s support in the 1970s for restoring the People’s Republic of China’s lawful seat in the United Nations, before the two countries formally established diplomatic relations.
He said the two nations were now working together toward modernization and called for greater cooperation to advance their shared development goals and contribute to global progress.
President Xi noted that 2026 marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 60th anniversary of Botswana’s independence.
He urged the governing parties of both countries to strengthen cooperation, exchange experiences in governance and deepen mutual understanding.
On economic cooperation, Xi said China was ready to expand collaboration with Botswana in the digital economy, agriculture and livestock production.
He also highlighted opportunities arising from China’s zero-tariff treatment for African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing.
He further announced China’s readiness to implement the Smart Education Project in Botswana to support the country’s economic and social development.
Addressing mining cooperation, President Xi outlined four principles to guide China-Botswana and broader China-Africa engagement in the sector.
He emphasized that African resources should belong to Africa, adding that China was prepared to share its experience and help African countries develop mining plans suited to their national circumstances.
Xi also called for mutually beneficial cooperation, the transfer of environmentally friendly technologies, greater industrial value addition and sustainable financing models to support Africa’s modernization.
He stressed that mining cooperation should take place in a fair and open environment, warning against the use of Africa’s natural resources as instruments of geopolitical rivalry.
For his part, President Boko praised China’s development achievements under Xi’s leadership, describing the country’s development experience as a valuable example for Botswana.
Boko reaffirmed Botswana’s commitment to the one-China principle, opposition to Taiwan independence and rejection of interference in China’s internal affairs.
He expressed appreciation for China’s long standing support for Botswana’s development and called for closer alignment between the two countries’ development strategies.
The Botswana president also welcomed increased Chinese investment and expressed interest in expanding cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, particularly in industrial development, agriculture, mining, innovation and digital transformation.
Boko further commended President Xi’s global initiatives for addressing international challenges, saying they demonstrated China’s commitment to global development and the United Nations-centered international order.
He pledged Botswana’s readiness to work with China to promote multilateralism, strengthen solidarity among developing countries and advance Africa-China cooperation toward a more inclusive and representative global governance system.
Following the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents covering the implementation of the Global Security Initiative, Belt and Road cooperation, green mining, health and human resources.
The two countries also issued a joint statement formally establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.