During a significant diplomatic engagement on September 3, 2023, in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting with Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who was in attendance for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The meeting served as a pivotal moment in their bilateral relations, as both leaders formally elevated their partnership to that of a strategic nature.

President Xi Jinping remarked on the fruitful cooperation between China and Chad, particularly highlighting the accomplishments achieved through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the FOCAC. He recognized that China has consistently been Chad’s largest trading and investment partner, and emphasized the positive impacts of this pragmatic cooperation on the welfare of both nations’ citizens. Furthermore, President Xi expressed China’s readiness to align developmental strategies with Chad to foster further advancements in their bilateral relations.

Moreover, Xi Jinping expressed deep appreciation for Chad’s unwavering support regarding issues critical to China’s core interests. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Chad’s pursuit of an independent developmental trajectory, as well as the protection of its national sovereignty, security, and developmental ambitions. The Chinese President urged both countries to enhance bilateral exchanges, build consensus, strengthen political trust, and steadfastly support each other, advocating for cooperative dynamic that yields mutually beneficial outcomes.

In addition, President Xi welcomed Chad’s engagement in fully leveraging the outcomes of the FOCAC summit to deepen economic and trade collaborations, enhance capacity for self-improvement, and collectively achieve development goals.

In response, President Deby articulated that the cooperation between Chad and China, founded on the principles of mutual respect and benefit, has been very productive. He expressed gratitude for the significant assistance provided by China toward Chad’s socio-economic development and reiterated Chad’s commitment to deepening friendly, mutually beneficial ties with China.

President Deby acknowledged the linkage between China’s growth and the prospects it presents for Chad, the wider African continent, and indeed the global stage. He fervently underscored Chad’s adherence to the one-China principle, affirming that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China.

Throughout the summit, it is anticipated that China and Chad will formalize bilateral cooperation agreements in several domains, including the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the development of human resources, the export of peanuts and sesame seeds to China, as well as in the arena of media collaborations.

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