Premier calls for more cooperation with Burkina Faso

China would like to strengthen alignment of development strategies with Burkina Faso under the principles of mutual respect and equal treatment, and promote cooperation in key areas, including agriculture, medical care, human resources and energy, Premier Li Keqiang said on Saturday.

The statement was made when Li met with the visiting Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who came to Beijing for a state visit and to participate in the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two countries restored diplomatic ties in May, opening a new chapter for bilateral relations, Li said. President Xi Jinping and Kabore had a productive meeting then and reached important consensus for bilateral relations, he said.

China will encourage competitive Chinese companies to invest in Burkina Faso based on market rules, Li said. As developing economies, the two countries should boost exchanges in international and African affairs, the premier said.

Kabore said independent decisions were made when both countries decided to restore diplomatic ties, which is also in line with the development trend.

Burkina Faso appreciates China's leadership and support for Africa in multilateral mechanisms, he said. Potential should be tapped to promote exchanges in personnel training, healthcare, agriculture and energy to achieve win-win outcomes, he added.