I.Political Relations

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Mali established diplomatic relations on October 25, 1960. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the bilateral relationship has progressed smoothly. In September 2024, China and Mali established strategic partnership.

In September 2024, Mali’s President of the Transition, H.E. Assimi Goïta, attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

II.Economic and Trade Relations, Economic and Technical Cooperation.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China has assisted to construct projects such as textile mills, sugar factories, and the Third Bamako Bridge in Mali.

In October 1978, the two countries signed Trade Agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Mali. In February 2009, China and Mali signed Investment Protection Agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Mali, which came into effect in July of the same year. In February 2009, the two countries established the Joint Economic and Trade Commission.

In 2023, the bilateral trade between China and Mali reached $880 million, with a year-on-year increase of 32.7%. China mainly exported machinery and electrical products as well as vehicles, and imported sesame, iron ore and manganese ore from Mali.

III.Exchanges and Cooperation in Culture, Education, Health, and Other Fields

The governments of China and Mali signed three cultural cooperation agreements in 1963, 1981 and 2004 respectively. Cultural and artistic groups from both countries have exchanged visits on multiple occasions.

Since 1965, China started to offer scholarships to students from Mali. In May 2008, a Confucius Classroom was established at the Askia Secondary School in Mali. In June 2018, the Confucius Institute of Mali was officially inaugurated at the University of Humanities in Bamako. In December 2019, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Luban Workshop, jointly established by Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Hongxing Vocational Secondary School, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, and the University of Humanities in Bamako, was inaugurated at the University of Humanities in Bamako.

Since February 1968, China has sent a total of 29 medical teams to Mali, working at the Mali Hospital.