CHINA and Burkina Faso on Saturday announced the resumption of diplomatic ties in a joint communique signed by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Alpha Barry in Beijing.

The communique said the resumption of ties was in line with the interests and wishes of the people in the two countries.

The two governments agree to develop friendly relations based on the principles of mutual respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence, the communique said.

The government of Burkina Faso recognizes that there is but one China in the world, that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of Burkina Faso promises it will have neither official relations nor official exchanges with Taiwan.

The African nation announced a decision to sever its “diplomatic” relationship with Taiwan on Thursday.

At a press briefing after the meeting Saturday, Wang said China highly commended the government of Burkina Faso for making the correct political decision.

According to Wang, the two sides agreed to enhance political trust and forge ahead with friendly exchanges and cooperation in various fields to bring substantial benefits to the people of both countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Burkina Faso’s President Roch Marc Christian Kabore to attend the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September, and President Kabore has expressed his expectations for the summit, said Wang.

He said the resumption of China-Burkina Faso ties signified a step forward toward the goal of all African nations being joined in a big family of friendly cooperation between China and Africa.

Both China and Africa long for the rapid realization of this goal, he said.

“Only one African country has not established diplomatic relations with China, and we sincerely hope that this country will soon join the China-Africa family of friendship,” he said.

(Xinhua)