Xi Jinping Meets with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

On the morning of December 9, 2022 local time, President Xi Jinping met with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in Riyadh.

Xi Jinping noted that China and Mauritania enjoy a profound traditional friendship. In recent years, China-Mauritania relations have maintained sound and stable development, with bilateral political mutual trust consolidated, practical cooperation deepened, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges strengthened. China firmly supports Mauritania in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions, opposes external interference in Mauritania's internal affairs, and appreciates Mauritania's clear support for China on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and human rights, among other issues. China is ready to work with Mauritania to take the friendly and cooperative relations between China and Mauritania to a higher level.

Xi Jinping stressed that over the years, China has been assisting Mauritania in implementing road, bridge, hospital and other major projects that benefit people's wellbeing. China will continue to encourage Chinese enterprises to take an active part in Mauritania's development in energy, fishery, mining, infrastructure and other sectors to bring benefit to the Mauritanian people. With the commitment and intention unchanged to the Arab states and other developing countries, China is ready to work with the Arab states including Mauritania to make all-out efforts to build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era and jointly create a new future for the development of China-Arab relations. Mauritania is also an important witness to, a participant in and a contributor to China-Africa collective cooperation, and China is ready to work with Mauritania to build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Ghazouani said that Mauritania and China enjoy a well-developed relationship, and cooperation in various fields has achieved positive results. Mauritania has always been firmly committed to the one-China policy. The one-China principle is an important red line to which the Mauritanian side will continue to unswervingly adhere. Mauritania will also continue to firmly support China's position on human rights and oppose any forces' interference in China's internal affairs on the pretext of human rights. Ghazouani thanked China for constantly providing various selfless assistance to Mauritania, and said that many important facilities and projects assisted and built by China, as well as the Chinese medical team, have benefited people's livelihood and boosted local economic and social development. Mauritania hopes to maintain high-level exchanges with China, learn from China's successful experience in state governance, and continue to expand and deepen cooperation in various fields. China is a friend and partner of the whole Arab world, and the convening of the First China-Arab States Summit comes at the right time and will surely have a significant and positive impact on the Arab world and the rest of the globe.

Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi and He Lifeng, among others, were present at the event.