China and Lesotho have agreed to expand cooperation in key development sectors following an official visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underscoring the two countries’ long-standing diplomatic and economic ties. During talks with senior Lesotho officials, both sides praised progress under the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which has supported projects in agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare and renewable energy in the mountain kingdom. They also outlined plans to scale up collaboration to support sustainable growth and economic diversification.
Lesotho’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Lejone Mpotjoane, said Wang’s visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations and advancing practical cooperation. He highlighted Chinese support for agriculture, including food storage and logistics facilities, the supply of farming machinery, and plans to develop agricultural produce aggregation and marketing centers to improve value chains. Discussions also covered water and energy cooperation. Lesotho, often described as southern Africa’s “water tower,” is seeking to better harness its water resources for hydropower generation, both to meet domestic demand and potentially supply electricity to neighboring countries.
The visit comes at a strategic moment for Lesotho as it seeks to diversify international partnerships and revive its export-dependent textile industry, which has been affected by uncertainty around U.S. trade preferences. Closer ties with China are seen as part of broader efforts to attract investment, boost industrial capacity and reduce economic vulnerability.
