Lesotho seeks closer cooperation with China to boost development

Mpotjoane Lejone, minister of foreign affairs and international relations of Lesotho, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Menkhoaneng, Lesotho, on March 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong)

Lesotho is willing to enhance cooperation with China in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and other areas to promote bilateral ties, Mpotjoane Lejone, minister of foreign affairs and international relations of Lesotho, has said.

MASERU, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Lesotho is willing to enhance cooperation with China in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and other areas to promote bilateral ties, Mpotjoane Lejone, minister of foreign affairs and international relations of Lesotho, said on Thursday.

Lejone made the remarks during the Moshoeshoe Walk 2024, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Basotho nation, which became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966 after gaining independence from the United Kingdom. Officials from the Chinese Embassy in Lesotho and representatives of the Chinese community in the southern African country participated in the event.

This aerial drone photo, taken on March 7, 2024, shows people participating in the Moshoeshoe Walk 2024 in Menkhoaneng, Lesotho. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong)

"We have a very good relationship with China, and we are celebrating the 30-year relationship," Lejone said.

Over the past three decades, Lesotho has achieved significant development while fostering cooperation with China, he said. "We have major roads and road networks, power generation facilities, Macero Hospital, parliamentary buildings, and many others in Lesotho."

This aerial drone photo, taken on March 7, 2024, shows people participating in the Moshoeshoe Walk 2024 in Menkhoaneng, Lesotho. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong)

Lesotho is a landlocked country surrounded by South Africa, with a population of 2.3 million.

"In the new framework of cooperation with China, we are mainly focusing on enhancing productivity in Lesotho, with a greater emphasis on agriculture and the expansion and growth of the energy sector," the minister said.

"As we are the hub of South African water resources, we can utilize water resources, wind power, and solar energy to generate more clean energy, not only for the country but also for the entire region," he noted.

"Indeed, we are looking forward to a better relationship between Lesotho and China," Lejone said.