On January 10, 2008, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Addis Ababa.

Meles said bilateral ties have been developing very well and the two countries have maintained close exchanges and supported and coordinated with each other on major issues. China has conducted high-level cooperation in a large area with Ethiopia and has implemented many aid projects in Ethiopia. He said the Ethiopian government and people are deeply grateful for a range of preferential policies offered by China including debt and tariff relief and increasing imports from Ethiopia, which, he said, have played a positive role in promoting Ethiopia's economic and social development. Ethiopia expects to further strengthen cooperation with China.

Meles said the Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has set a direction for the future development of African-China relations. China sincerely supports Africa and actively pushes for mutually beneficial cooperation with the continent, he said, pledging to help African countries to improve products' added value, economic competitiveness and ability for self-development. Facts prove that China's development, as an opportunity to Ethiopia and Africa as a whole, will benefit and therefore be welcome by African people. Ethiopia is ready to join hands with China to push forward China- Africa relations.

Yang said Ethiopia is an influential country in Africa, as well as China's important cooperative partner in Africa. China attaches great importance to developing long-term friendly cooperative relations with Africa, which is conducive to the fundamental interests of both countries and enhanced China-Africa cooperation. China is ready to work with Ethiopia to further deepen and expand bilateral exchanges and cooperation and make the bilateral relationship a model for China-Africa friendly cooperation by implementing the achievements made at the Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and under the guidance of the important consensuses reached by the leaders of the two countries.

Yang said the Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is a new milestone in the history of China-Africa relations. Over the past year, various follow-up actions of summit have been well under way with more and more dynamic China-Africa exchanges and cooperation. The 8 measures proposed by China on pragmatic cooperation with Africa are being implemented in an all-round way and all aid commitments to Ethiopia are being actively carried out. China-Africa cooperation, based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits, conforms to the common interests of both sides, said Yang. China will work with African countries including Ethiopia to push for sustained, sound development of the forum and make greater contributions to the new-type China-Africa strategic partnership.