Botswana's president to visit China

BEIJING - At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President of the Republic of Botswana Duma Gideon Boko will pay a state visit to China from Oct 12 to 17, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.

Spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily press briefing that the upcoming visit will mark President Boko's first visit to China since assuming office.

During the visit, President Xi will host a welcoming ceremony and a banquet for President Boko, and the two heads of state will hold talks, Mao said, adding that Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji will meet with him respectively.

President Boko will also visit Fujian province, she added.

Noting that China and Botswana are strategic partners, Mao said that over the 51 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have upheld sincere friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.

"We support each other on major issues concerning respective core interests, assist each other in times of disaster and epidemic, join hands on the journey toward modernization, and firmly stand on the right side of history on international affairs," Mao said.

China is confident that the upcoming visit will elevate China-Botswana relations to a new height and further contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, Mao added.