The upgraded partnerships between China and Botswana and between China and Togo will provide a stronger political foundation and greater certainty for future cooperation, Ma Hanzhi, an associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told CGTN following President Xi Jinping's meetings with the two countries' leaders on Tuesday.
Ma said the visits underscore the high level of China-Africa relations in a year marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. They also come as both sides work to implement the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), ahead of the next FOCAC ministerial conference in 2027.