Ethiopia and China have enjoyed long and historical ties, but formal diplomatic relations were established on November 24, 1970. Ethiopia has since opened its embassy in Beijing, and three Consulate General offices in Guangzhou, Chongqing and Shanghai; People’s Republic of China opened its Embassy and a Permanent Mission to the AU in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia and China share a similar history in defending their sovereignty and independence from foreign aggression. The Chinese Communist Party has lent invaluable support to the people of Ethiopia when Fascist Italy invaded the country in the 1930s and helped stage protests in several Chinese cities against the invasion. Ethiopia, along with 26 independent African states, supported the People’s Republic of China in taking its rightful place in the UNSC.

The relations and close partnerships between Ethiopia and China have been taking on new dimensions from time to time with frequent high-level visits to and from both sides.

To mention only a few: Emperor Haile Selassie, H.E. Prime minister Meles Zenawi, H.E. President Mulatu Teshome (Dr.), H.E. Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn, H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Dr.), and well as several other Ethiopian Ministers have visited the People’s Republic of China at various time. On the Chinese side, H.E. Premier Zhou Enlai, H.E. Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Chen Qichen, H.E. President Jiang Zemin, and several other Chinese Ministers visited Ethiopia.

The relation between the two friendly countries has always been based on equality and mutual respect, assisting each other’s pursuit of development per national priorities, as well as jointly upholding multilateralism, fairness, and justice. Ethiopia and China have made major strides in the past decades and have inked more than 70 bilateral agreements and MoUs.

Prime Minister Ably Ahmed visited China during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 and the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019. Such frequent engagements at the highest level have contributed to strengthening the bilateral relationship. China is Ethiopia’s largest trading and development partner, as well as source of investment. Ethiopian coffee, flowers and sesame are widely popular in the Chinese market. Chinese companies have implemented more than 1,500 projects in Ethiopia with a total investment exceeding 1.1 billion US dollars. Ethiopia is among the first African countries to sign the Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. Roads, airports, industrial zones, power facilities and other infrastructure built through the partnership have injected strong impetus into Ethiopia’s sustainable development. In 2019, with Chinese assistance, Ethiopia launched its first Remote Sensing Satellite (ETRSS-I) for earth observation. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s leading carrier, has more air links with China than any other in Africa. This serves as an essential air bridge that facilitates people-to-people exchanges and cargo trade between China and Africa.

The relation between the two countries has stood the test of time in this season of immense challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic. The two countries have joined hands and coordinated closely in the battle to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Chinese government has been a key contributor in providing much needed supplies to Ethiopia since the pandemic started.

On the occasion of this 50^th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and China, the leaders of the two countries have reiterated their commitment to work closely to further enhance their historical friendship, bilateral exchanges, and collaboration.

In this context, Ethiopian Post and China Post have partnered up for a joint issue on Ethio-China Diplomatic Relations 50^th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp.

The Addis Ababa Riverside Green Development Project, also called Beautifying Sheger, is a venture supported by the Ethiopian government and backed by the Chinese government. The project aims at cleaning the city’s riven and creating pleasant public space. It was launched in 2019 by Prime Minister Ably Ahmed.

Built for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Beijing Olympic Forest Park has been the go-to leisure site for athletes, coaches and official staff during the Olympic games. The tennis, shooting, and hockey competitions were held there. After the closing ceremony, it has been transformed to the city’s back garden for sightseeing, recreation, and sports.