Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Addis Ababa on Thursday for the first stop of the diplomat’s New Year trip to Africa. After Ethiopia, Wang Yi’s tour of the continent's east and south will bring him to Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho. The tour "aims to deepen political mutual trust with all parties... [and] strengthen exchanges and mutual learning," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a news conference on Wednesday. China is Africa's top business partner, with trade reaching $296 billion in 2024, according to Chinese state media. Africa has been the destination of the Chinese foreign minister's first overseas trip of the year for almost four decades.

Source: Ethiopian News January 08, 2026 18:06 UTC