China, Rwanda vow to write new chapter in bilateral ties

Africa places great importance on China's role in international affairs and is committed to further deepening their friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, he added.

The African side, he said, looks forward to attending the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September, and stands ready to jointly push forward the development of FOCAC, so as to generate more benefits for the people of both sides.

After their talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of multiple agreements on bilateral cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative and other areas. They also met the press together.

Prior to the meeting, the Rwandan president held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi, who arrived in Kigali on Sunday for the first state visit to the African country by a Chinese head of state.

Xi inspected the guard of honor in the company of Kagame. A group of Rwandan well-wishers, dressed in traditional clothes, staged a dancing and drumming performance to express their joy and excitement.

Later in the day, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Rwanda is the third leg of Xi's first overseas visit after he was re-elected Chinese president in March. The trip has already taken him to the United Arab Emirates and Senegal, and will also take him to South Africa for a state visit and the 10th BRICS summit, and to Mauritius during a stopover.