Long-rooted friendship

China and Algeria are raising their comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level

Algeria and China are connected by a traditional friendship that dates back to December 1958 when the two countries established diplomatic relations, at a time when Algeria was not yet independent, which is exceptional in the history of international relations.

Since then, bilateral relations have been exemplary in all aspects, all the more so as our two countries always reiterate their attachment to the same principles on the international scene and their constant concern to advance toward the consolidation of their bilateral cooperation.

The two countries maintain political consultation at the highest level, notably through visits and bilateral contacts between leaders and senior officials.

Marking the level of friendship between the two countries, Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, visited Algeria on Oct 10-11.

During the visit, Yang was received by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and had talks with Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sabri Boukadoum.

This visit and these meetings were an opportunity for both parties to assess their cooperation in various fields and to examine the possibilities of promoting and developing them, particularly in the economic field including infrastructure, public works, transport, trade and investment, as well as areas related to higher education, scientific research and new technologies.

The two parties also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and agreed the two countries should continue to strengthen their coordination and solidarity in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

The pandemic has enabled the world to once again witness the exemplary nature of Algerian-Chinese friendship. After the spread of the virus in Wuhan in January, the Algerian government and people expressed their solidarity and compassion to the Chinese government and its people.

The Algerian authorities, in fact, provided significant aid to Hubei province, because the province has had a special relationship with Algeria through the regular dispatch of Chinese medical teams since 1963.

And when the Algerian people subsequently faced the pandemic, the Chinese authorities, Chinese economic operators as well as other organizations and local governments quickly showed their solidarity with Algeria and granted important donations to help the Algerian people in their fight against the pandemic.

In addition to the donations of medical equipment, China also shared its experiences in the fight against virus through several videoconferences as well as by sending a specialized Chinese medical team to Algeria.

By helping each other in difficult times, Algeria and China have together opened a new page in the record of their fruitful cooperation and have shown the world that the concept of living together in peace, defended by Algeria, and the construction of a community with a shared future for humankind, promoted by China, require practical actions from the members of the international community.

The friendship between Algeria and China should be further strengthened after the juncture of the pandemic in the wake of the consolidation of the comprehensive strategic partnership established in 2014.

The five-year plan of the comprehensive strategic partnership for 2014-18 has made it possible to continue high-level political exchanges and the coordination of positions on the international scene, to develop economic cooperation and to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Regarding economic relations, China has been Algeria's largest trade partner since 2013, and their annual average global trade volume exceeds $8 billion.

Similarly, Chinese enterprises have strengthened their presence in Algeria and participated in Algerian development programs, especially in the field of infrastructure such as highways and housing construction, as they were granted different public development projects for more than $70 billion in the last 20 years.

Nevertheless, Chinese companies should seize the ongoing shift of the Algerian economy and improvement of the business climate in Algeria to set up more production capacities in Algeria, especially now that the two countries have established a comprehensive legal framework.

Bilateral cooperation has also been expanded in the fields of science, technology and space, particularly with regard to the launch of the first Algerian telecommunications satellite Alcom Sat1 from China on Dec 11, 2017.

The human dimension is also present in the framework of bilateral relations. Human exchanges have been intensified in both directions, including students, youth associations, writers and journalists, as well as interuniversity exchanges, training sessions and cultural events.

Currently, the two countries are evaluating the results of the five-year plan for 2014-18, before concluding a new five-year plan of the comprehensive strategic partnership for 2020-24.

The Belt and Road Initiative, launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Algeria and China, particularly with regard to infrastructure connectivity and investment intensification.

Algeria, as an important partner of China in Africa and the Arab world, will play a key role in the implementation of this initiative, given its geographical location, its economic potential and its diplomatic weight.

Therefore, the Belt and Road Initiative is in line with Algeria's vision and efforts in the field of the Arab Maghreb Union and African integration, in the light of the trans-Saharan road and the Port of the Centre Project which will be implemented in partnership with the Chinese side.

Algeria's official adhesion to the Belt and Road Initiative was achieved in September 2018 through the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will enable the coordination and harmonization of development programs and the connection of infrastructures.

The prospects are bright for Algerian-Chinese cooperation after the pandemic, both bilaterally and within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The author is the Algerian ambassador to China. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.