On the sidelines of the ongoing China-Africa Summit (FOCAC) on Thursday, September 5 in Beijing, President Paul Kagame met with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China.
According to Village Urugwiro, the meeting, attended by delegations from both Rwanda and China, discussed the ongoing collaboration in key sectors including health, infrastructure, and technology.
“The Heads of State also discussed their mutual commitment to multipolar global governance, based on sovereignty, self-determination, and values,” Village Urugwiro said.
The Republic of Rwanda and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations in 1971, and since then, the political cooperation relationship between the two countries has grown exponentially. The bilateral relations between the two countries have been steadily growing.
In March 2017, President Kagame made an official visit to China and held a meeting with President Xi Jinping. The two Heads of State reached an important consensus on deepening cooperation in various fields under the new circumstances and made overall plans for the future growth of relations between the two countries.
In July 2018, at the invitation of President Paul Kagame, President Xi Jinping paid a successful visit to Rwanda and marked the first ever visit of a Chinese President to Rwanda.
The Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), which led the liberation of the country, shares much history with the Communist Party of China (CPC). Both parties were forged in the fogs of liberation wars and hence share a vision for genuine independence and a passion for the development of their respective citizens.
The current bilateral cooperation agreement covers projects worth US$600 million. Completed infrastructure projects under this agreement include the extension of IPRC Musanze, the 200-Borehole-Well Project, Kigali Urban Road Upgrading Project (54km), Upgrading Works of Huye-Kibeho-Munini-Ngoma Road Project (66km), and the Sonatubes-Gahanga road (Airport Expressway Road).
Projects currently under implementation comprise the Masaka Hospital Renovation and Expansion Project, Nyabarongo II Hydropower Plant Project, Smart Education Project, among others.
In 2023, bilateral trade between the two nations exceeded US$500 million, marking a 16.5% year-on-year increase.
Moving forward, JETTCO is prepared to align Rwanda’s Vision 2050 with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, develop plans for economic and trade cooperation in the global context, and continually enhance bilateral cooperation levels.
Additionally, both sides agreed to expedite projects in the pipeline to bolster the bilateral relationship within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Nine Programs framework. These include the Giseke Irrigation Project, Satellite Remote-Sensing Application Center Project, Expansion, and Upgrading of the road from Prince House to Masaka Project (10km), and other projects currently under discussion.
