President of Republic of Congo meets Chinese FM to strengthen bilateral ties

China

President of Republic of Congo meets Chinese FM to strengthen bilateral ties

2025-01-09 00:35 Last Updated At：15:57

President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Brazzaville on Tuesday, with both sides pledging to advance bilateral ties and China-Africa cooperation.

Sassou conveyed his New Year greetings and best wishes to Chinese President Xi Jinping through Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Recalling that Xi chose Africa for his first overseas trip as Chinese president in 2013, during which he made a historic visit to the Republic of the Congo, Sassou said the visit remains vivid in his memory.

Noting that Africa is playing an increasingly important role in global affairs, Sassou expressed hope that China's emphasis on Africa will lead to greater attention on and more support for the continent on a global scale.

The Chinese president proposed 10 partnership action plans at the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing in 2024, which cover all areas of China-Africa cooperation, focus on tackling Africa's pressing challenges, and meet Africa's needs, Sassou said.

Infrastructure, power, agriculture and industrialization are critical issues the Republic of the Congo and other African countries need to solve in order to achieve development, he added.

Noting that this year marks the start of implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, Sassou said the Republic of the Congo, as the FOCAC's co-chair, will spare no effort in advancing the 10 partnership action plans and strive for greater progress in China-Africa cooperation.

For his part, Wang conveyed Xi's cordial greetings and New Year wishes to Sassou.

Noting that Sassou is a renowned African politician and one of the African leaders who have visited China the most and met with Xi the most, Wang said the deep friendship between the two leaders serves as a vital political guarantee for China-Congo and China-Africa relations.

The Chinese foreign minister's tradition of starting the year with a visit to Africa is a testament to China's unwavering solidarity with African nations, Wang said.

Calling the Republic of the Congo a staunch friend and important partner of China, Wang praised the country's vibrant development under Sassou's leadership. China will remain the country's most reliable friend and partner during its development and revitalization journey, he said.

The Republic of the Congo's role as the FOCAC's co-chair reflects Africa's confidence in the country, Wang said.

As the best platform for deepening China-Africa cooperation and achieving common development, the FOCAC has been leading global cooperation with Africa, Wang said, noting that China is willing to work closely with the Republic of the Congo to comprehensively implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, support Africa's development and jointly pursue modernization.

These efforts will also enhance the Republic of the Congo's development and elevate its global standing, he added.

On the same day, Wang also held talks with Congolese Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso.

China's largest clean energy corridor sees 7 pct power growth in 2024

2025-01-09 15:10 Last Updated At：15:37

The world's largest clean energy corridor, consisting of six mega hydropower stations on the majestic Yangtze River, achieved a more than 7 percent increase in power generation in 2024, bolstering China's green energy transition, according to China Three Gorges Corporation on Thursday.

The six hydropower stations - Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Three Gorges Dam, and Gezhouba Dam, all run by the corporation, facilitate the transmission of electricity from the resource-rich west to the energy-demanding eastern areas.

Four of them - Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, and Xiangjiaba - are located on the Jinsha River, the upper section of the Yangtze River, while the other two - Three Gorges Dam and Gezhouba Dam - are on the middle section of the Yangtze.

In 2024, these hydropower plants generated a total of about 295.9 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), a 7.11 percent increase from the previous year. This saved the equivalent of 89.24 million tons of standard coal and reduced CO2 emissions by 240 million tons.

Stretching 1,800 kilometers, the corridor has a vertical drop of over 900 meters and a total installed capacity of around 71.7 gigawatts, equivalent to that of three Three Gorges dams, the world's largest hydropower project.

The optimized navigational conditions in the reservoirs have also significantly boosted the economic value of the Yangtze River as the golden waterway, with throughput at the Three Gorges dam reaching 159 million tons in 2024.