China, Burundi need to keep close coordination, safeguard multilateralism: Chinese FM

BEIJING - State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday that China and Burundi need to keep close communication and coordination in global and regional affairs and firmly safeguard multilateralism, so as to preserve the common interest of both countries as well as developing nations.

Wang made the remarks during a phone conversation with Burundian Foreign Minister Albert Shingiro.

China-Burundi relations remain at a high level, with strong political mutual trust having been forged and fruitful results achieved in all-around cooperation, he said.

Burundi has become an "all-weather" friend as well as an "all-round" partner of China, Wang said, adding that China will, as always, support Burundi in safeguarding national sovereignty and opposing external interference.

Wang voiced confidence that Burundi will continue to stand together with China over issues concerning China's core interests.

Practical cooperation between China and Burundi has been steadily progressing despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

China, Wang said, stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Burundi, and to closely synergize the practice of jointly building the Belt and Road and implementing the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit with Burundi's six major tasks on economic and social development, such as developing agriculture and husbandry, supporting the youth cause and adopting good policies, so as to continuously deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

China firmly supports Burundi's anti-pandemic fight and is willing to continue offering support and assistance within its capacity to help Burundi completely defeat the pandemic at an early date, said Wang.

For his part, Shingiro thanked China for its selfless support for Burundi's economic and social development, which, he believes, stands as a strong illustration of the deep friendship of the Chinese people with Burundi.

Shingiro said that Burundi will unswervingly pursue a friendly policy towards China and continue to offer unconditional support for China on all issues concerning China's core interests.

Burundi stands ready to work with China to speed up the joint construction of the Belt and Road, adequately implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and continuously deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, he said.