Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: fmprc

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho upon invitation from Wednesday to January 12, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will attend the launching ceremony of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the African Union (AU) headquarters, said the spokesperson.

The visit will mark the 36th consecutive year for Africa to be the destination of the Chinese Foreign Minister's first overseas trip of the year, the spokesperson added.

Elaborating on the significance of this trip and China's expectations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. 

President Xi Jinping and African leaders agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. 

Wang Yi will visit four African countries and attend the launching ceremony of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the headquarters of the African Union. This is a continuation of Chinese foreign ministers' 36-year tradition to begin each year with a trip to Africa. Ethiopia, Somali, Tanzania and Lesotho are China's strategic cooperative partners, said Mao.

The spokesperson said that Wang's visit aims to deepen political mutual trust between various parties, implement the follow-up actions of FOCAC Beijing Summit, facilitate the exchange and mutual learning between the two great civilizations, and inject fresh impetus into the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

This 36-year consistent practice, Chinese expert believes, reflects the priority and stability of Africa in China's diplomatic layout, and indicates that China-Africa relations will remain steadfast despite turbulences in the global landscape. 

Chinese experts said on Wednesday that through the selection of these four countries, China not only provides development support, but also explores ways to expand practical cooperation, ensuring that African countries are not left behind amid the impact of unilateral trade protectionism. 

Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the trip also reflects that China-Africa relations are development-oriented rather than security-oriented, as the purpose of the year-beginning visit is to conduct annual coordination with African countries on development issues, implement the achievements of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and clarify the directions for bilateral development cooperation, which is unaffected by great-power games and security issues. In addition, this tradition also demonstrates China's consistent focus on the Global South - the foundation of China's diplomacy.

Unwavering support

Song noted that visit to the four countries carries strategic considerations as Ethiopia is a strategic hub in East Africa and the seat of the African Union (AU) headquarters. Wang's attendance at the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges demonstrates that China-Africa cooperation is further expanding from traditional economic and trade fields to people-to-people fields; For Somalia, it is a typical example of linking security and development. Different from the Western approach centered on counter-terrorism, China hopes to eradicate the breeding ground of terrorism through development, said the expert.

Ma Hanzhi, assistant research fellow at the Department for Developing Countries Studies of China Institute of International Studies, added that both Ethiopia and Somalia are key countries in the Horn of Africa. Both countries have experienced some volatility over the past year, and Wang's visit underscores China's firm support for African countries' sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity, as well as our stance of backing the settlement of African issues through African solutions, Ma told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

Tanzania is a historical witness to the traditional China-Africa friendship. Ma noted that against the backdrop of some Western countries threatening to review relations with the country, Wang's visit demonstrates China's commitment to cooperation with Africa despite changing international circumstances.

Regarding Lesotho, experts said it shows China's consistent attention to small African countries and highlights the inclusiveness and benefit-sharing nature of China-Africa relations, especially when US tariffs last year severely impacted Lesotho's economy and even led to the declaration of "a state of disaster."

The year of 2025 marked the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), with bilateral cooperation yielding fruitful results on a range of fields. China has maintained its position as Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, people.cn reported. 

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China in December 2025, the total trade volume between China and Africa reached $314 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 17.8 percent. This figure has exceeded the full-year total of 2024, marking the first time that China-Africa trade volume has surpassed the $300-billion threshold.

"If 2025 indicates that China-Africa relations have entered a mature stage, the new year will focus on people, coordinate economic and trade cooperation with people-to-people and cultural exchanges. By enhancing mutual understanding and advancing youth exchanges, China and Africa are opening a new chapter that is more inclusive, and has stronger capacity to address challenges," Amadou Diop, a Senegalese expert on China and a journalist of the Senegal national daily Le Soleil, said in a recent interview with people.cn.

For last year's new year visit, it brought Chinese Foreign Minister Wang to Namibia, Republic of the Congo, Chad and Nigeria. They reiterated their commitment to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation and working together to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Regardless of changes in the international or regional landscape, China's commitment to Africa remains unwavering, Wang said during the trip then. China will always be the most trustworthy friend of its African brothers and sisters, the most reliable partner in their pursuit of development and revitalization, and the strongest supporter of Africa on the international stage, Wang added.

In light of the current global landscape, the top Chinese diplomat's visit sends a clear signal: China's diplomacy is predictable and stable. International relations are not centered on power politics, and China's diplomacy has always taken respecting national sovereignty, opposing unilateralism and emphasizing the right to development as the core starting points, Song told the Global Times. 

Meanwhile, China has always safeguarded the development interests of the Global South, whatever the size of a country, Song noted.