China, Burkina Faso to strengthen parliamentary exchanges

CHINA and Burkina Faso on Tuesday agreed to enhance parliamentary exchanges.

The consensus was reached between Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), and Alassane Bala Sakande, speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso.

Hailing the political decision made by Burkina Faso to resume diplomatic ties with CHINA and its adherence to one-CHINA principle, Li said the two countries had opened a new chapter of bilateral cooperation and made fruitful achievements in various cooperation areas, which proved that restoring diplomatic relations with CHINA was in the fundamental and long-term interests of Burkina Faso and its people.

CHINA-Burkina Faso relations are facing new opportunities, Li said, calling on the two sides to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests, deepen political mutual trust, and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation to promote constant development of CHINA-Burkina Faso friendship.

"No matter how CHINA develops, CHINA's independent foreign policy of peace will never change." Li said. "Neither will CHINA's friendship with African brothers change. CHINA will join hands with African countries including Burkina Faso to jointly create a better future."

Noting that Sakande is the first speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso to visit CHINA, Li said the visit opened a new stage of exchanges between CHINA's NPC and the National Assembly of Burkina Faso.

He called on the two sides to carry out more friendly exchanges at all levels, share their experience in state governance, and make positive contributions to bilateral relations.

Sakande said that the government, the National Assembly and political parties of Burkina Faso all firmly supported the decision to resume diplomatic ties with CHINA.

The National Assembly of Burkina Faso is willing to deepen friendly exchanges with the NPC of CHINA, and closely coordinate with it in multilateral parliamentary organizations, Sakande said.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Alassane Bala Sakande, speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, in Beijing, capital of CHINA, March 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)