Ethiopia and China established diplomatic relations on 24 November 1970 and in the same year opened embassies in their respective capitals.

In the past thirty years, the two countries enjoyed close cooperation in the political, economic and social and cultural fields. They also signed agreements of cooperation in economic and technical (1971), cultural (1988), trade (1996) and on promotion and protection of investment (1998).

The close political cooperation between the two o countries has helped create conducive situation for further strengthening mutually advantageous relations in other areas of common interest. Both countries have been also cooperating and supporting each other at international forums on issues of mutual importance and common interest. Trade and investment relations have been enhanced and bilateral trade has increased both in terms of quality and volume over the past few years.

Since the signing of the Economic and Technical Agreement, both countries have jointly undertaken various development projects and have registered concrete achievements. in this respect, the Chinese government has extended interest free loans and grants which were utilized mainly for the implementation of road projects, small diesel electric power stations, studies for small scale irrigation projects, construction of low-cost housing etc. The bilateral cooperation in the medical area, especially through the dispatch of medical teams to Ethiopia is indeed very. beneficial.

The two countries have signed a protocol Agreement to establish Ethio-Chinese Joint commission in 1988 with a view to reviewing the implementation of various development projects and ensure their smooth execution. The joint commission has held four meetings during which discussions were conducted on how So further strengthen and widen the scope of cooperation on all areas of mutual interest. Based on the Cultural Agreement, the two countries have cooperated in the fields of education and human resource development Cultural exchange programmes have also been conducted with the view to further deepening mutual. understanding and strengthening people-to-people contacts.

The exchange of visits has greatly contributed in further strengthening the all-round relations and cooperation between the two countries. In this connection, the official visit paid by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in 1995 and the visit paid by President Jiang Zemin in 1996 have pushed forward the friendly cooperation into a new stage.

In general, the relations between Ethiopia and China for the past thirty years have been friendly and mutually beneficial. It is the conviction of all that these relations will be further strengthened and broadened in the years to come.