Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will expand cooperation with Mali. He also said Beijing firmly supports Mali’s efforts in safeguarding its unity and security.

Wang made the remarks on May 21 when meeting Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga in the country’s capital of Bamako.

The visiting foreign minister added that as a good friend of Mali, China supports the country in finding a development path that suits its national conditions.

China always backs African countries to solve their problems in their own ways and will continue to safeguard African countries’ interests in multilateral mechanisms, including the UN Security Council, Wang said.

He also said that China will expand cooperation with Mali in the fields of infrastructure construction, human resources development, and peace and security.

In turn, Maiga said Mali feels grateful for China’s long-term support and assistance in its development. He added that Mali is also willing to expand cooperation and communication with China.