Cape Verde supports B&R Initiative

Cape Verde's President Jorge Carlos Fonseca (L) meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Praia, Cape Verde, May 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Sibo)

Cape Verde supports the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and will deepen bilateral cooperation with China, the country's leaders said during meetings with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the capital of Praia.

China is a close friend of Cape Verde and has been supporting the island country since its independence, Cape Verde's President Jorge Carlos Fonseca said during a meeting with Wang on May 20.

Cape Verde is willing to support and join the Belt and Road Initiative to deepen mutual cooperation with China, Fonseca said.

The Sao Vicente special economic zone, the safe city project and the community housing project are priorities in the country's national development agenda, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva said Saturday while meeting with Wang, adding that he hopes China can participate in these projects and contribute to the country's economic and social development.

Cape Verde regards China as the most reliable partner for African countries and supports China in defending its legitimate rights and playing a greater role in international affairs, Silva said.

Cape Verde would also like to maintain communication and coordination with China on issues such as the reform of the United Nations Security Council, he added.

For his part, Wang said China supports the developing countries to defend their legitimate rights and common interests, and advocates that every nation, large or small, should respect others as equals.

Cape Verde is one of China's important partners in Africa and their bilateral traditional friendship sets an example for large and small countries on mutual respect and treating each other equally, Wang said.

China is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Cape Verde in the fields of agriculture, fishery, marine economy, development of special economic zones, tourism, infrastructure and human resources development, he added.

In another meeting with Cape Verde's Minster of Foreign Affairs, Communities and Defence Luis Filipe Tavares, Wang said bilateral ties between the two countries have been developing fast in recent years.

Focusing on the implementation of consensus of the two countries' leaders, China would like to work with Cape Verde to inject a new impetus in bilateral cooperation and turn friendship and trust into achievements through the China-Africa Cooperation Forum and the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, Wang said.

Cape Verde welcomes and supports the Belt and Road Initiative, and is willing to take the opportunity of developing the Sao Vicente special economic zone to join the initiative, Tavares said.

He added that Cape Verde upholds the one-China principle, values China's important role in international affairs, and appreciates China's support for the just demand of African countries in reforming the UN Security Council.

China highly appreciates Cape Verde's support on issues regarding China's core interests and major concerns and will continue to defend the legitimate rights of developing countries including Cape Verde on the international stage, Wang said.