Uganda

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

The year of 2013 saw rapid growth of friendship and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Uganda. Cooperation in various areas yielded rich fruits.

The two countries maintained frequent high-level exchanges. Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni sent a congratulatory message to President Xi Jinping on his election and messages of condolences after the earthquakes in Sichuan and Gansu provinces. On 28 March, President Xi Jinping met with President Museveni when attending the fifth BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa. From 16 to 17 September, NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang paid an official goodwill visit to Uganda. During the visit, he met with President Museveni and Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and held talks with Parliament Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga to exchange views on deepening friendship and cooperation between the two countries and strengthening cooperation between the legislative bodies. The two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding Between the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China and the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda on the Establishment of Parliamentary Collaboration. From 30 June to 6 July, Ugandan Prime Minister Mbabazi, who is also the General Secretary of the ruling National Resistance Movement, visited China and met with Premier Li Keqiang and Vice President Li Yuanchao respectively.

Economic cooperation grew deeper. The Karuma Hydropower Project and Isimba Hydropower Project, both undertaken by Chinese companies, were officially launched. China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) was granted a license from the Ugandan government for oil exploration and production.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges grew even closer. The China- Africa Friendship Association in Uganda was established in February. In August, the 16th batch of Chinese medical personnel arrived and started their work in Uganda. In November, a dialogue meeting between the mayors and governors of China and the East African Community countries was held in Kampala, capital of Uganda. In 2013, China provided 43 scholarships to Uganda. An art troupe from Shanghai and an art troupe of the Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese of Liaoning Province gave performances in Uganda.