26 Aug 2024

His Excellency President Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi has assured the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Fan Yong of his attendance at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FoCAC) in China next month.

President Masisi was speaking during Mr Fan’s presentation of credentials at the Office of the President yesterday.

“Your arrival comes at a critical time when Botswana is readying to participate at FoCAC summit. You also come at a time when we are preparing for a very important constitutional process. On September 4, there will be a vote in Parliament which requires two thirds majority, so if I take one minister to the summit, the ones remaining will be exactly two thirds, which is risky,” he said.

He therefore indicated that his visit to China would be short with a thin contingent.

Dr Masisi also said the summit came close to the time when he was supposed to dissolve Parliament in readiness for the coming general election. However, he stated that Botswana was looking forward to participating at the summit and further engage in the relations that the two countries had enjoyed overtime.

“We are looking forward to celebrating 50th anniversary of our relations with China premised on very wide, diverse range of bilateral engagement from infrastructure, health, technology and capacity building, so am really looking forward to this,” he said.

President Masisi said he was happy with the working relations between Botswana and China, not just at government level, but even at the private sector level, citing the recent joint venture agreement between one Chinese company to develop a photovoltaic 100mw solar plant in Jwaneng.

The President also appreciated the welcoming of Botswana’s invitation to China government, to be strategic partners which he said was a notable determination by the Chinese in the way they viewed Botswana.

He said this would enable both nations to work together in areas such as e-mobility programme, transferring of knowledge and skills including the intellectual capital.

“We already have most of the base metals to produce components of e-mobility, so we want to drive this up and increase the value accorded to Botswana. In that process we will increase jobs and contribute to our GDP,” he said.

President Masisi indicated his concern at putting lab grown diamonds on the same level as natural diamonds.

He assured Mr Fan of support during his tenure as had been the case with his predecessors.

For his part, Mr Fan said ever since his country established diplomatic relations with Botswana, bilateral relations between the two had been sound and smooth. 

“I believe that both of us are enjoying this and we appreciate very much your participation at the coming FoCAC, where we believe that major strategic plans will be laid and discussed among senior leaders from China and African states,” he said.

Mr Fan said this would be for the better future for the corporation of China and Africa. He also appreciated President Masisi’s determination to attend despite his tight domestic schedule, and that he was looking forward to enjoying support during his tenure. ends