Chinese premier holds talks with Sao Tome and Principe's PM

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Friday held talks with Sao Tome and Principe's Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada in Beijing.

Trovoada arrived in the Chinese capital on Wednesday for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and an official visit. Since the resumption of diplomatic ties between China and Sao Tome and Principe, bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, Li said, adding that China attaches great importance to developing relations with the African country.

Noting that Trovoada's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday drew a new blueprint for the development of bilateral relations, Li said China is ready to work with Sao Tome and Principe to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, further deepen political mutual trust, firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and push for deeper and more solid practical cooperation to bring more benefits to the people of the two countries. 　　 Li pointed out that China supports Sao Tome and Principe's efforts to safeguard national security and stability and achieve prosperity and development, and is willing to continue to help the African country to promote development and enhance its internal driving force for development.

The two sides should strengthen cooperation in tourism, agriculture, animal husbandry, blue economy and green economy, actively push forward infrastructure construction projects, and deepen cooperation in medical and health care, Li said.

China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Sao Tome and Principe on international and regional issues such as international financial institutional reform, peace and security, climate change response and ecological protection, Li said.

The two sides should implement the outcomes of this year's summit, work together to strengthen the FOCAC mechanism, and push forward the strategic partnership between the two countries and China-Africa cooperation, he added.

For his part, Trovoada said sincerity and friendship are the defining characteristics of bilateral ties, adding that his country will firmly adhere to the one-China principle.

The series of new measures proposed by President Xi at this year's summit will create more opportunities for the development of Sao Tome and Principe and Africa, Trovoada said.

Thanking China for its strong support for his country's economic and social development, the prime minister said Sao Tome and Principe is willing to take the elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership as an opportunity to consolidate political mutual trust, expand cooperation in economy and trade, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industry, education and health care, promote people-to-people exchanges, and jointly build a forward-looking community with a shared future.

After the talks, Li and Trovoada witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents on economic development, green development, cocoa bean exports to China, customs inspection and quarantine, news organizations and media.

Prior to their talks, Li held a welcome ceremony for Trovoada.

Chinese premier holds talks with Sao Tome and Principe's PM

Chinese cities, towns and villages are putting on dazzling light and lantern shows, staging distinctive folk customs performances, and holding festive mooncake banquets in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Tuesday.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in Chinese culture. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar and dates back more than a millennium. As a festival in honor of the moon and harvest, families reunite on the occasion to admire the bright full moon, light lanterns, and share the holiday pastry of mooncakes.

In the ancient city of Kaifeng of central China's Henan Province and Jinzhou City of northeast China's Liaoning Province, popular tourist attractions and landmarks are bathed in lights, promising a mesmerizing nighttime experience for local residents and tourists alike.

Beijing's famous Beihai Park, a public park and former imperial garden, is staging performances themed around bianzhong, or Chinese chime bells which has a history of over 2,000 years.

In tourist towns and villages of Yunnan Province in the southwest, Zhejiang Province in th east and Guangdong Province in the south, lively folk and dragon dances are gathering numerous locals and tourists to join in the festivities.

Audiences are enjoying a poetry recitation show in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, and a symphony in Zunyi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, respectively.

This year, Suining City in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the northwest, have both prepared giant freshly made mooncakes enough to treat hundreds of people at a same time. And in a village of the southwestern Chongqing Municipality, people have prepared their own mooncakes on a flour ground from their newly harvested red sorghum.

"We are filled with the joy of harvest during the merry traditional festival. The festive mood is really nice," said Liu Ya, a local of Jiangjun Village in Chongqing's Bishan District.

Elsewhere, villages in Wuyuan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, are also celebrating their harvest of red pepper by drying them on the roofs. And another village in the eastern province of Shandong has recently held a large banquet for local households to share.

Outside the mainland, colorful lanterns are also dotting the various landmarks, streets and alleyways of Hong Kong and Macao, adding to the festive joy.

Celebrations held across China to mark traditional Mid-Autumn Festival