China is willing to enhance cooperation with the Central African Republic (CAR) across various fields, Chinese President Xi Jinping said when meeting with CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera in Beijing on Friday.
Touadera is in Beijing to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which was held from Wednesday to Friday.
Xi noted that Touadera has paid visits to multiple Chinese cities, which have given him a deeper understanding of the country.
"In 2018, you visited Liangjiahe in Shaanxi Province, a rural area where I lived, to gain a deeper understanding of China's grassroots situation. This time you visited Shandong, Chongqing and other provinces and cities. I believe this will further deepen your understanding of China," Xi told his CAR counterpart.
"Although China and the Central African Republic are separated by oceans, the two countries have always worked hand in hand and maintained a close relationship. China is willing to take this opportunity to continuously enhance the level of cooperation between the two countries in various fields," Xi said.
For his part, Touadera praised China's development achievements and said his recent visits to Shandong Province and the Chongqing and Tianjin Municipalities has given him and his delegation the chance to personally experience the achievements of Chinese-style modernization. He also expressed his appreciation for China's leading role on the international stage.
The three-day FOCAC summit was the largest diplomatic event hosted by China in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders.
Themed "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future", the event aimed to strengthen friendship and outline future cooperation between the two sides.
China willing to enhance cooperation with Central African Republic: Xi
China willing to enhance cooperation with Central African Republic: Xi
A festive atmosphere is building up as people across China have been making preparations to ring in the Spring Festival next week, with lights and decorations set everywhere, and with New Year goods markets all seeing booming sales.
The Spring Festival, which marks the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important annual holiday in China, when people across the country return to their hometowns for Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations and family reunion.
In Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a grand lantern show is in its final stage of preparation before opening to the public ahead of the eve of the 2025 Chinese Lunar New Year. To be lit up on Wednesday, the large light sets presented at the event will draw numerous visitors, with lanterns that replicate 38 cultural relics as the highlight.
Buying New Year flowers has been a custom for Chinese people. In Yancheng City of east China's Jiangsu Province, various flowers which have auspicious meanings are already in high demand.
This year, tulips bred locally have been put on sale, and quickly become a favorable choice for many customers.
"I have never seen this kind of flower before. I think it is really bright-colored. Therefore, I decided to buy some to enhance the festive atmosphere at home," said Zhang Jinjian, a local resident.
The Anchang ancient town in Shaoxing City of east China's Zhejiang Province has a time-honored custom of making aired sausages and spiced duck.
As the Spring Festival draws near, plenty of visitors and tourists choose to purchase these local delicacies as ingredients for their Chinese New Year feast.
"The number of tourists has been increasing, so the sales of our spiced meat have been quite good. Compared with the same period of last year, our sales is expected to increase by about 50,000 yuan (about 6,835 U.S. dollars). We will earn an additional 200,000 to 300,000 yuan (27,335 to 41,000 U.S. dollars) in sales during this whole winter," said Yang Jing, owner of a local spiced meat shop.
In southwest China's Yunnan Province, the "Tiaocai dance" is a time-honored tradition of the Yi ethnic minority group. The dance is presented in the form of serving dishes while dancing to the rhythm. It usually happens on a joyous or grand occasion.
Since the most significant annual festival is around the corner, Yi people have dressed up in traditional costumes, and got ready to welcome the arrival of the Chinese Lunar New Year with the special dance.
People across China make preparations to welcome Spring Festival