Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Botswana and China in 1975, there has been a fruitful cooperation in various fields of development, said Pelonomi Venson, Botswana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Answering a question about China and Botswana's relationship in Parliament on Monday, Venson re-affirmed China has continued to offer Botswana development and technical assistance in various fields. "To this end, we have witnessed increasing cooperation over the years, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, health, education, agriculture, science and technology, culture, and military cooperation," said Venson.
She further said that the two countries' resolve to strengthen and broaden the scope of bilateral cooperation has been evidenced by the establishment of the Botswana-China Joint Consultative Forum, which was first hosted by Botswana in October 2012. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is another cooperation mechanism that the Chinese government has adopted to extend support to Botswana and Africa as a whole, she stated.
"I wish to underscore that Botswana's relations with China remain solid and I am confident that this mutually beneficial partnership, will continue into the future," said Venson. China has sponsored many projects to Botswana, including renovating the railway, building residential houses, primary schools and others, by way of providing grants, interest-free loans and concessional loans.
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