The People’s Republic of China’s Ambassador to Lesotho, Mr. Yang Xiaokun says as part of the 15th Five year plan, China will further deepen its strategic partnership with Lesotho.
He disclosed this during a media briefing on Monday where he said China will continue to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with Lesotho, support each other on issues involving core interests and major concerns and work together to uphold the common interests of developing countries in the international community.
He said the practical cooperation will deliver more tangible benefits to the two peoples saying taking the opportunities of China’s high-level opening up and the 15th Five-Year Plan, will further expand trade and investment cooperation with Lesotho by fully implementing the zero-tariff treatment for all Lesotho’s product to China and help it tap into China’s huge market potential, turning tariff reductions into greater trade advantage.
He said China will also advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, thus focusing on projects that are closely linked to Lesotho’s national development priorities and people’s well-being as well as ensuring that the cooperation brings real benefits to Basotho.
He added that the people-to-people exchanges will inject new vitality saying as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges kicks off, nearly 600 activities have been planned throughout the continent. “We will actively promote exchanges in education, culture, health, youth and other fields, provide more opportunities for people from our two countries to interact and learn from each other, build a stronger bridge of friendship and foster closer bonds between our peoples,” the envoy said.
He assured that the Embassy will continue to support Lesotho and provide more opportunities for exchanges and cooperation.
Ambassador Yang reaffirmed that the 15th Five-Year Plan is not only a blueprint for China, also a new starting point for cooperation between China and the world.
He emphasised that China stands ready to work with Lesotho to turn their shared understanding into concrete results, deepen practical cooperation and deliver more benefits to their people.
On the other hand, he highlighted that China will stay committed to an independent foreign policy of peace and to peaceful development saying they will expand their global network of partnerships, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics as well as uphold international fairness and justice.
He pointed out that China stands ready to work with all members of the international community to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization; to pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative; to actively participate in reform and development of the global governance system; and to make the international order more just and equitable.
He stressed that through the above mentioned, they will jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity and create a bright future of peace and development for the world.
Meanwhile the outline sets out the major strategic tasks for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, placing particular emphasis on the following four areas including, pursuing high-quality development, strengthening the domestic economy, advancing common prosperity for all and ensuring both development and security.
The five-year plans are the country’s medium and long-term blueprints and guiding documents for its economic and social development. They set out the country’s development direction, overall goals, key tasks and policy measures over a five-year period.
Since 1953, China has formulated and implemented 14 five-year plans, spanning over 70 years. The country has created two miracles as it stayed the course with the five-year plans of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability.
The 15th Five-Year Plan period spans from 2026 to 2030. During this time, China will promote higher-quality economic growth while achieving an appropriate increase in economic output, and make solid headway in promoting well-rounded personal development and common prosperity for all.
China and Lesotho maintain strong, cooperative ties, primarily focused on infrastructure development, health and economic aid.
Since resuming diplomatic relations in 1994, China has funded major projects in Lesotho, including hospitals, highways and government buildings. Both nations are deepening cooperation on agriculture, skills training and trade. (GSF)
