On March 31, 2015, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda at the Great Hall of the People. The two heads of state highly commented on China-Uganda friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, and agreed to together seize the opportunity and follow the trends thus connect the development strategies of the two countries, build bilateral relations into a model of new type of international partnership embodying equality, mutual trust and win-win cooperation and jointly advance China-Africa relations.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Uganda enjoy a profound traditional friendship. Since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relationship 53 years ago, bilateral friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields has yielded fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is an old friend of the Chinese people as well as a firm promoter of bilateral relations. We met each other during the 5th BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa two years ago, reaching important consensus on comprehensively developing bilateral relations. China will work together with Uganda to implement consensus between the two countries and comprehensively deepen mutually beneficial cooperation thus to inject new impetus into bilateral relations.

Xi Jinping stressed that China and Uganda should enhance high-level exchanges in all areas including central and local governments, political parties, legislatures and armies, exchange experience in governance and administration of state affairs, and continue to support and understand each other on issues regarding their core interests and major concerns. Both sides should advance industrial connection and cooperation in production capacity thus complement their advantages. China will share its experience with Uganda in developing special economic zones, industrial parks and other aspects, and strengthen cooperation in such fields as infrastructure construction, investment, medical treatment and tourism. China encourages and supports Chinese enterprises to carry out cooperation in energy and mineral resources, industrial development and agriculture in Uganda. Both countries should expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and enhance communication between the youth, and should boost communication and coordination in major international and regional affairs, facilitate defense cooperation, and jointly fight against terrorism so as to safeguard regional and global peace and stability.

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expressed that the Chinese people had offered firm support to the African people when they were combating colonialism and striving for national independence in history. The Tanzania-Zambia railway constructed by China lifted the blockade enforced by the West on African countries. African countries had three major problems in history, namely, colonial oppression, economic underdevelopment, as well as political and economic polarization. To realize development under the current circumstances, Africa should strive to promote the construction of regional community as well as single market in the continent, and they are working to this end. During this process, Uganda and other African countries hope to connect their development strategies as well as foreign cooperation policies with China, have strategic connection with Chinese enterprises investing and developing in Africa, and enhance cooperation in infrastructure construction including hydropower and standard-gage railway as well as in such fields as oil, mineral resources, tourism, and manufacturing and industrial parks. They also hope to obtain vigorous support from the Chinese government. They are ready to strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China. China is a trustworthy friend of the African people and Africa will continue boosting coordination and cooperation with China in international affairs.

Following the talks, the two heads of state together witnessed the signing of the cooperative documents covering economic and technical cooperation, infrastructure construction, personnel training and so on.

Prior to the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony for Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Mme. Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping, Wang Huning, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, Li Zhanshu, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Arken Imirbaki, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Liu Xiaofeng, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and others were present.

Before the welcome ceremony, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni went to the Tiananmen Square and laid a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes.