Role models

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Mauritius officially established diplomatic relations on April 15, 1972. Over the past half century, in the face of the backdrop of a complex and fast-changing international environment, China and Mauritius have always supported each other, treated one another with mutual respect and equality, and continuously promoted their friendship and cooperation. Their relations have become a model of South-South Cooperation.

The two countries have promoted mutual trust through frequent high-level contacts. More than 20 high-level visits have taken place over the past 10 years. In 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Mauritius and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The leaders of the two states visited each other within one year, drawing a blueprint for the long-term development of China-Mauritius relations and showing the way for future practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

In July 2021, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Prime Minister Jugnauth led all members of his Cabinet to attend the CPC and World Political Parties Summit via video link, injecting new impetus into the China-Mauritius exchanges on governance. Both sides jointly adhere to multilateralism and have maintained close contacts and cooperation in international and regional affairs for a long time, which has laid a solid foundation for bilateral relations. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Mauritius have been actively cooperating in the anti-virus fight. China has provided four batches of vaccines to the country, helping it build a "Great Wall of Immunity" to defeat the virus, and making important contributions to its opening of the border as planned.

The economic and trade exchanges between the two countries have become increasingly close, and their pragmatic cooperation has yielded fruitful results. China has become the largest trading partner of Mauritius for many years in a row. In January 2021, the China-Mauritius free trade agreement officially came into force, which is the first of its kind signed between China and an African country, injecting strong impetus into their economic and trade cooperation. According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, the trade volume between China and Mauritius rose by 25.8 percent year-on-year in 2021, in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic. Mauritian specialties, such as sugar, beer and rum have entered the Chinese market, enriching Chinese people's choices.

The two countries have deepened their practical cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, investment, finance, high and new technology, construction and other fields. A group of China-built Mauritian projects, including the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation Building, Bagatelle Dam and Cote d'Or National Sports Complex, have not only boosted local economic and social development, but also brought tangible benefits to Mauritian people. The entry into force of the China-Mauritius Free Trade Agreement and the simultaneous launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area have made Mauritius more prominent as a bridge for China-Africa cooperation. It is believed that more Chinese enterprises will invest and start businesses in Mauritius in the future, so as to further consolidate and deepen the pragmatic economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.

China-Mauritius people-to-people and cultural exchanges enjoy a long history, and cultural and educational cooperation has been deepened and expanded. China opened its first overseas China Cultural Center in Mauritius in 1988.Mauritius is the only African country that has designated Spring Festival as a statutory holiday and the first country to print the picture of Chinese faces on its banknotes. Chinese is an optional course in the African country's compulsory education. Before the pandemic, literary and artistic groups from both sides held frequent exchanges, and activities such as Happy Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival－A Moonmoment to Remember, Chinese Tourism and Culture Weeks, Dragon Boat Festival, Food Festivals, have been well received by Mauritian people. A large number of young Mauritians are studying in China and they are an important part of the non-governmental exchanges between the two countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Mauritius introduced online teaching, training and cultural activities, bringing the two peoples closer and further consolidating the public opinion foundation for bilateral relations.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mauritius. This is a milestone in bilateral ties and a new starting point for China-Mauritius cooperation. Ancient China's great philosopher and educator Confucius said that people know destiny in their 50s. The China-Mauritius relations are embracing their 50th anniversary and bilateral cooperation faces more opportunities in the future. At the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in November last year, China announced it would jointly implement nine programs with African countries, covering medical and health programs, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development and cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to advance China-Africa cooperation and strengthen the bonds between China and Mauritius.

As the world is being challenged by the pandemic and undergoing profound changes rarely seen in a century, China and Mauritius should pull together through adversity and work together in solidarity and cooperation. Both sides are defenders and practitioners of multilateralism and have a broad consensus on the international order, sustainable development and climate change. In the future, on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results, China and Mauritius will continue to uphold the fundamental interests of the two peoples, enhance mutual trust, deepen economic and trade cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, make long-term plans, draw a grand blueprint for the next 50 years, push China-Mauritius friendship and cooperation to a new level and jointly promote global peace and development.

The author is the Chinese ambassador to Mauritius. 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.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn