BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Marcel Amon-Tanoh, Foreign Minister of Cote d’Ivoire in Beijing on Aug 28.

Wang said China welcomes the state visit of Cote d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara during the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

“China is willing to take the opportunity to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Cote d’Ivoire on the Belt and Road Initiative in order to comprehensively upgrade the bilateral cooperation level,” Wang said, adding China stands ready to further strengthen cooperation with Cote d’Ivoire in global affairs, and safeguard the common interests of the two countries as well as other developing countries.

Marcel Amon-Tanoh spoke highly of Cote d’Ivoire’s relations with China, calling it a model of Africa-China cooperative relations. He also expressed willingness to deepen cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative and to make contributions to building a China-Africa community of shared future.