Lesotho to Host Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Strengthen Strategic Partnership

Lesotho will receive Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi before the end of this week, marking a significant step in the strategic partnership between the two nations. Wang Yi, 73, accepted an invitation from Lesotho’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Lejone Mpotjoane. Upon arrival at Moshoeshoe I International Airport, he will be welcomed officially and will hold talks with Minister Mpotjoane. Additional official engagements will be announced later.

The visit forms part of Wang Yi’s weeklong African tour, which also includes Somalia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. This marks the 36th consecutive year that Africa has been selected for official visits by China’s Foreign Minister, reflecting the continued priority China places on the continent.

Lesotho and China have maintained long-standing relations built on political trust and mutual cooperation. The countries have collaborated on various international platforms and pursued exchanges in multiple fields. In 2018, they signed the Implementation Programme for the Years 2019 to 2022 under the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation, strengthening people-to-people and cultural ties.

High-level engagements have continued over the years. Prime Minister Ntsokoane Matekane celebrated the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations with China through official exchanges. In October 2023, Minister of Public Works and Transport Matjato Moteane attended the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China, while Minister of Agriculture Thabo Mofosi participated in the Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture.

In February 2024, Minister of Information and RFP Secretary General Nthati Moorosi led a delegation to China, establishing official party-to-party relations with the Communist Party of China. Later in April, Deputy Prime Minister Justice Nthomeng Majara and Minister of Health Selibe Mochobroane visited Hubei Province, followed by Finance Minister Retsélisitsoe Matlanyane attending the Second High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development.

Beyond diplomacy, China has supported Lesotho’s development projects. Notable contributions include the construction of the State Library, Maseru District Hospital, and the Manthabiseng Convention Centre. The two countries also continue to support each other as United Nations members, reinforcing their shared commitment to international cooperation.

The upcoming visit by Minister Wang Yi is expected to further solidify these ties, opening opportunities for deeper political, economic, and cultural collaboration between Lesotho and China.