Addis Ababa (Diplomat.so) – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi begins on Wednesday a visit to four African countries. He will attend the opening ceremony of the "China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges" at the African Union headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The tour includes Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho, and will continue until January 12. This marks the 36th consecutive year that Africa has been the destination of the Chinese foreign minister’s first overseas trip at the start of the year. The tradition reflects China’s commitment to strengthening its presence on the continent.
In a related historical context, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai visited Somalia on February 3, 1964, as part of his landmark tour of several African countries. That visit was the first by a Chinese leader to Africa and was intended to deepen China–Africa friendship and support national liberation movements.
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