Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe in Changsha, capital city of central China's Hunan Province.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last year, President Xi Jinping and President Paul Kagame jointly elevated the China-Rwanda relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and the two sides issued a joint statement on promoting the implementation of the three global initiatives, providing strong strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations.
He said that China is ready to work with Rwanda to firmly support each other, actively implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Summit, take concrete actions to deliver on the Changsha Declaration, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, defend international fairness and justice, and contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
Noting that modernization is not equal to Westernization, Wang said that China is ready to deepen exchanges and mutual learning with Rwanda on governance experience, and jointly explore the paths to modernization that suit their own national conditions, earn public support, and seek self-reliance and strength, so as to improve the well-being of the two peoples and advance progress of the entire world.
He also said that China supports Rwanda's efforts to accelerate the realization of its Vision 2050 and is ready to deepen practical cooperation across various fields with Rwanda, and enhance friendly exchanges at all levels and in all sectors, including between governments, political parties, legislatures, and localities.
Nduhungirehe said that over the past five decades, Rwanda and China have respected each other and maintained friendly relations, achieving positive outcomes in cooperation across various sectors, including roads, electricity, health, and education, adding that the elevation of bilateral relations during last year's Beijing summit has further benefited the Rwandan people.
Rwanda firmly abides by the one-China principle and is willing to deliver on the outcomes of the summit, especially the ten partnership actions, and jointly move towards an independent and self-reliant path to modernization, he said.
Nduhungirehe also said that Rwanda highly appreciates and actively supports the three major global initiatives put forth by President Xi, which are conducive to building a peaceful and prosperous world.
The two sides also had an exchange of views on peace and security issues in Africa.
Nduhungirehe thanked China for its active commitment to promoting talks for peace and advancing a political solution to the issue of the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Wang said that China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace in Eastern DRC in its own way.
Chinese FM meets Rwandan counterpart on bilateral ties
Fujian Province in east China has evacuated people to safe places, called back fishing boats to the wharf, and canceled passenger trains, in its emergency response to Danas, the fourth typhoon of the year.
Danas emerged on Saturday in the northeastern waters of the South China Sea and intensified from a severe tropical storm to a typhoon on Sunday morning. Now it's moving northeast towards coastal provinces in east and south China.
Fujian has upgraded its typhoon emergency response to level III, the second lowest in China's four-tier natural disaster emergency response system, with level I being the highest and level IV the lowest.
In Dongshan County, a key fishing hub in Fujian, all of 8,773 fishing vessels returned to port on Sunday, with over 1,640 marine aquaculture producers having been evacuated ashore.
Fishermen across the county's fishing ports have raced against time to transport their catches ashore to the market before Typhoon Danas makes landfall.
In offshore aquaculture areas of Dongshan's Tongling Town, local government and fishery officials inspected every sampan and assisted fishermen with reinforcement efforts.
"We have deployed six teams, three to inspect the sampans and another three stationed at the docks, to monitor fishing vessels entering and exiting the harbor," said Lin Tiankui, deputy head of Tongling Town.
The county has implemented round-the-clock monitoring at critical locations, including fishing ports and docks, with officials taking shifts to guard against the typhoon.
In Fujian's Ningde City, comprehensive operations against the typhoon are also underway.
On Sunday afternoon, local officials helped fishermen in the coastal towns of Fu'an, a county-level city in Fujian, strengthen floating sampans and fasten fishing nets while organizing the evacuation of personnel.
"All the121 registered fishing vessels of Xiabaishi Town have been called back to harbors. All fishermen have returned ashore to our designated shelters, where we've stockpiled ample disaster relief supplies," said Liu Shusheng, captain of the comprehensive law enforcement brigade in Xiabaishi Town, Fu'an City.
As of Sunday afternoon, all 34,669 fishing vessels across Ningde City had been secured in safe locations. A total of 2,404 shelters with sufficient rescue equipment and essential living supplies have been prepared in the city.
Before the typhoon's landing, transportation networks in Fujian are also taking decisive action.
China Railway Nanchang Group initiated a Level III emergency response on Sunday, suspending multiple passenger routes across Fujian Province starting Monday morning.
Passengers affected by the cancellations can be fully refunded within 30 days of their original travel date, according to the company.
Local railway authorities in Ningde have taken comprehensive precautions, including clearing track drainage systems, inspecting roadside hazards such as unstable billboards and trees, and conducting 24-hour monitoring at flood-prone zones, particularly tunnel entrances.
To ensure traveler safety, coastal railway stations across Fujian Province have stockpiled emergency supplies and deployed additional staff to guide passengers at escalators and key passageways.
Passengers were advised to check for updates through China's official railway ticket-booking platform 12306 to plan their journeys accordingly, as service adjustments will be made in real time depending on weather conditions.
Fujian gets ready for Typhoon Danas
