A Symposium Gala Dinner, entitled ‘Mauritius-China, The Way Forward’, was held, on Friday evening, at the Château Clos de St Louis, in Domaine Les Pailles, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mauritius and China.
The event was organised by the Yihai Smart City, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. A panel discussion on economic and trade cooperation between Mauritius and China was also held on this occasion.
The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun; the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo; the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Mauritius, Mr Zhu Liying; and other eminent personalities were present at the event.
In his address, President Roopun highlighted that the bond between Mauritius and China had been nurtured since the first Chinese immigrants set foot on the island in the 18th century. He stated that this bilateral relationship was based on a solid foundation and cultural affinities which had constantly deepened with high-level diplomatic visits ever since the establishment of diplomatic relationships back in 1972.
President Roopun remarked that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between China and Mauritius, which was the first free trade agreement between China and an African country, had officially taken effect in January 2021, and was yet another milestone in the two countries’ relationship. He expressed the wish that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, both Embassies, and other agencies such as the Economic Development Board make use of all available channels to sensitise and create a conducive environment for optimum use of the FTA through business-to-business exchanges and networking. He also urged them to chart a clear strategy in a bid to boost trade with the African continent.
As for Minister Ganoo, he underlined that the event was a vivid example of the cultural ties that characterised the Mauritius-China relationship. He pointed out that China was also playing a key role in the development of the African continent and stressed that Mauritius and China were now embarking on a friendly and flourishing relationship for the next 50 years.
Mr Ganoo also dwelt on the numerous agreements signed between the two countries and welcomed Chinese investment in several sectors of the Mauritian economy as the country offered an economically, politically and socially stable environment.
For his part, Ambassador Zhu underscored that both countries were currently working closely on international issues, such as the territorial integrity involving Taiwan and the Chagos Archipelago respectively. He pointed out that President Xi Jinping’s friendly visit to Mauritius in 2018 had reinforced the bilateral ties between Mauritius and China.
He also spoke about opportunities that the relations between the two countries could offer. For instance, he said, Mauritius could act as a bridge between China and the African continent, and benefit from the knowledge, products, and services that China had to offer in several sectors. In addition, he indicated that Mauritius could benefit from the Sino-African cooperation, and thus appealed to Mauritian stakeholders to avail of the opportunities that would crop up.
Ambassador Zhu further stressed that, with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, there was a need to consolidate the Mauritius-China relationship so as to be better prepared for the future.
