Lesotho

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 friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Lesotho grew steadily in 2013.

The two countries strengthened their political mutual trust and maintained close coordination and collaboration in international affairs. In March, King Letsie III of Lesotho and Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas Thabane sent congratulatory letters to President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang respectively on their assumption of office. In April, Prime Minister Thabane sent a letter of sympathy to Premier Li over the earthquake in Lushan, Sichuan Province. In July, Lesotho's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government and Chieftainship Mothetjoa Metsing visited China. In October, Lesotho's Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture Mamahele Radebe visited China. In August, Lesotho's Minister of Health and Social Welfare Pinkie Manamolela attended the Ministerial Forum of China-Africa Health Development in China. The two countries continued to support and collaborate with each other at the United Nations and other international organizations.

Steady progress was made in the bilateral economic and trade cooperation and specific projects. China completed several assistance and cooperation projects in Lesotho, including the first phase of the technical cooperation project of land use and physical planning, the radio and television network expansion project and the solar energy demonstration project.

Exchanges and cooperation in other fields continued to deepen. In July, an art troupe composed of university students from Shanghai staged performances in Lesotho. In October, the two sides signed the Implementation Programme for the Years 2014 to 2017 of the Agreement of the Cultural Cooperation Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho. In November, the License Agreement Between the State Administration of Press and Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People's Republic of China and Lesotho National Broadcasting Services was signed between the two agencies in Lesotho. In December, Vice Governor of Hubei Province Liang Huiling visited Lesotho.