Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Addis Ababa on Thursday, marking the first stop of Wang’s 2026 New Year diplomatic tour of Africa. The leaders pledged expanded cooperation in key areas such as trade, infrastructure, energy, transportation, as well as emerging fields including artificial intelligence and green energy. “Ethiopia and China have enjoyed a strong relationship for decades,” Ahmed wrote on X, adding that both leaders “reiterated our shared commitment to advancing development.”
The visit builds on intensified China-Ethiopia relations established in 2023 with the announcement of an “all-weather strategic cooperation partnership.” Wang’s tour will next take him to Somalia, Tanzania, and Lesotho, focusing on strengthening political trust, deepening exchanges, and fostering mutual learning, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
In Somalia, the visit highlights China’s support for Mogadishu amid regional tensions following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region. China is Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $296 billion in 2024, according to state media. Wang’s visit continues a nearly 40-year tradition of Africa being the destination of China’s first overseas diplomatic trip of the year.
