By Marie Willie
MONROVIA, Oct. 21 (LINA)– Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of the Council of Togo Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé have announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation across key sectors.
The announcement was made on October 13, 2026, when President Xi met with President Gnassingbé at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during the Togolese leader’s official visit to China.
During the meeting, President Xi described the friendship between China and Togo as longstanding and deeply rooted, noting that successive generations of leaders have worked to strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote mutual understanding between the two peoples.
He said the two countries have continued to enhance their partnership over the decades, contributing to the broader effort to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
According to the release from the Chinese Embassy in Liberia dated October 16, 2026, President Xi emphasized the need for stronger exchanges between the two countries and their ruling parties, greater sharing of governance experiences, and continued mutual support on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns.
He also highlighted opportunities to expand economic cooperation, particularly through China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries and other trade facilitation measures designed to promote African exports.
According to President Xi, Togo could take advantage of these initiatives, including the “green lanes” for African exports, to strengthen its position as a regional trade and logistics hub and increase access to the Chinese market for Togolese and other regional products.
He further welcomed Togo’s initiative to expand the cross-border use of the Chinese yuan, known as the renminbi (RMB), and expressed China’s readiness to deepen cooperation in renewable energy, digital technology and artificial intelligence to support Togo’s industrialization.
On international and regional affairs, President Xi called for stronger coordination between the two countries in multilateral forums, emphasizing the importance of improving global governance, promoting regional peace and security, and addressing shared global challenges.
He also outlined four principles for the constructive participation of relevant parties in resolving conflicts and other pressing issues in Africa.
The principles include upholding African leadership in addressing the continent’s challenges, safeguarding equity and justice in accordance with the United Nations Charter, ending hostilities through dialogue and peaceful engagement, and addressing both the immediate causes and underlying factors of conflicts through security measures and long-term development planning.
President Gnassingbé, for his part, praised China’s development achievements under President Xi’s leadership, saying his visit had provided him with firsthand insights into Chinese modernization, governance and cultural heritage.
He described relations between Togo and China as long standing and increasingly strong, noting that the two countries will mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.
The Togolese leader reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening mutual trust, expanding dialogue and communication, and promoting long-term cooperation for the benefit of both peoples.
He also expressed Togo’s willingness to learn from China’s experience in governance and encouraged more Chinese companies to invest and operate in Togo.
President Gnassingbé identified trade, infrastructure, science and technology as key areas for expanded cooperation, while reiterating Togo’s support for closer engagement with China on international issues.
He endorsed the principles outlined by President Xi for addressing African conflicts and commended China’s role in promoting global peace and stability and responding to international challenges.
The Togolese leader further pledged to strengthen multilateral cooperation with China to defend multilateralism and protect the interests of developing countries.