09 Dec 2024

President Advocate Duma Boko has reaffirmed Botswana’s longstanding relations with China, describing it as a joint vision for a shared future.

Speaking during a courtesy call by Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr Shao Hong, at the Office of the Pressident yesterday President Boko commended the diplomatic relations between China and Botswana, which he said had grown significantly over the years.

The President indicated that high level visits between the two countries had been an effective enabler of enhanced relations with several former presidents of Botswana having undertaken state visits to China in the past.

“Botswana and China continue to enjoy warm and cordial relations spanning a period of over 50 years and the two countries have, during that period, worked closely together through exchange of official visits,” he said.

Such visits, he said were fruitful and created a healthy working relations for the advancement of the two nations.

He also said Botswana always appreciated the One China Policy and had respected China’s sovereignty over the years, thus had no intent to interfere in China’s internal affairs, save for cooperating with the Asian country in matters of mutual interest.

He noted that Botswana was also grateful for China’s generosity through the cancellation of all outstanding Botswana debts to China, which was done a while ago, adding that it was a great relief to the nation and the economy.

 President Boko also indicated that Botswana continued to receive assistance from China over the years, in the form of infrastructural development and technical assistance on different matters.

He said government was thus hopeful to continue the relationship and strengthen it in the best interest of both countries.

 He expressed hope that China’s aid to Botswana would also increase, owing to China’s vast experience and technical know-how in many aspects of industrialisation.

 “There is a lot we can learn from China and there is also a lot China can share with us. Therefore we look forward to having more exchanges,” he said.

 President Boko said Botswana was also alive to the fact that China was the second largest economy in the world, hence ‘we’ could take a leaf from China’s success story.

 “China has over the last 40 years been able to transform itself into a world class superpower, leading in many areas of human endeavours. We might not have the same population as China, but we surely possess the same level of ambition,” President Boko said.

To that effect, he said Botswana was inspired by the rise of China from humble beginnings to an economic powerhouse and expressed optimism that China would handhold Botswana through the economic transformation journey.

President Boko also pleaded with China to support Botswana’s natural diamond industry as it carries the essence of Botswana and represent the aspiration of every citizenry.

For his part, Mr Shao commended Botswana for being a beacon of peace and exemplary to the world as illustrated by the recent peaceful transition of state power.

Mr Shao further affirmed China’s support to Botswana on various sectors including infrastructure development, technology and health. Ends