Xiplomacy: China, Algeria mark anniversary of ties with eyes on stronger partnership

BEIJING/ALGIERS -- With the opening of the Bejaia Highway in Algeria built by the China Railway Construction Corporation, truck driver Asloune Abdelghani's life was changed.

"Now I can arrive in Algiers in less than two hours. I am grateful for that," he told Xinhua.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Algeria. On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who is on a state visit to China.

Over the past decades, the two countries have helped each other through thick and thin and rendered mutual understanding and support to each other, and they have been true friends and natural partners in the pursuit of common development and national rejuvenation, Xi said.

GROWING FRIENDSHIP

China and Algeria were brought together 65 years ago by the common cause of opposing imperialism and colonialism and seeking national independence and liberation.

As early as 1958, when Algeria was not yet fully independent, China established diplomatic ties with the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic and became the first non-Arab country to recognize this government. Algeria was also back then one of the first African countries to forge diplomatic relations with China.

In 1963, one year after Algeria's independence, Algerian diplomat Noureddine Djoudi began campaigning for the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China (PRC) at the United Nations.

"We had a strategy aiming at raising awareness of our African and Arab friendly countries to join us in supporting the restoration of China's legitimate right," Djoudi, now 89 years old, told Xinhua.

Eight years later, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted to restore all lawful rights of the PRC in the UN.

Djoudi, then assistant secretary-general of the Organization of African Unity, was among the witnesses to the special occasion. "Helping and supporting each other underscores the deep roots of our friendship," he said.

Over the past decades, the two nations have maintained this special and deep friendship, and are together paving the way to development. In 2014, Algeria became the first Arab country to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

During his talks with Tebboune, Chinese President Xi expressed China's readiness to work with Algeria to accelerate the implementation of the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit, advance the eight major initiatives of practical cooperation between China and Arab states, strengthen cooperation under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and deliver on the outcomes of the FOCAC Dakar conference, with a view to building a community with a shared future in the new era between China and Arab states and between China and Africa.

Smail Debeche, president of the Algeria-China Friendship Association, said he believes that the two countries firmly support each other on issues related to their core interests and major concerns, share the same stance on international and regional hotspot issues, and have great potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.