China';s president, Xi Jinping  on Monday pledged to strengthen economic bonds with Africa by offering win-win cooperation and genuine development partnership.

“China will promote a sincere economic partnership with African countries,’’ Xi told newsmen at the end of a two-day visit to the East African nation of Rwanda.

Xi spoke to the press at the State House in the capital Kigali after a luncheon with President Paul Kagame.

His comments followed the signing of over one dozen bilateral agreements focused on visa exemptions, strengthening mutual investment in e-commerce, cooperation in civil air transport, law enforcement partnerships and human resource development.

“China relates to Africa as an equal”.                                          

“We see ourselves as people on the road to prosperity, and China’s actions demonstrate that you see us in the same way.

“This is a revolutionary posture in the world affairs, and it’s more precious than money,’’ Kagame added.

China, Africa’s largest trading partner, opened its first military base on the continent in 2017 in the eastern nation of Djibouti. 

Xi, ahead of his visit, said China had become Rwanda’s biggest trading partner and project contractor, with trade volumes between the countries registered at 157 million dollars in 2017.

Xi, travelling with his wife Peng Liyuan, became the first Chinese head of state to visit Rwanda when he arrived on Sunday, though his visit to the continent began in Dakar, Senegal, on Saturday. 

After two days in Rwanda, Xi will journey to Johannesburg for the BRICS summit with the foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa.

NAN