Ambassador: China-Mauritius FTA talks set direction for developing China-Africa ties

China's ambassador to Mauritius Sun Gongyi during an interview with China Radio International on February 15, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Gao Junya]

China's ambassador to Mauritius has suggested the ongoing negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement are going smoothly.

The agreement is expected to boost economic cooperation between the two countries, and promote China-Africa relations.

China and Mauritius officially kicked off negotiations on the free trade agreement last December.

If the negotiations are successful, the deal will be the first Free Trade Agreement between China and an African country.

China's ambassador to Mauritius, Sun Gongyi, says negotiations are going well, and that the two sides are working hard to strike a deal.

He says the Free Trade Agreement will not only benefit China and Mauritius, but also sets the direction for the development of China-African relations more generally.

"Chinese businesses have a strong presence here in Mauritius. Over 15-hundered Mauritian enterprises are also doing business in China. [This Agreement] calls for institutional and legal support to protect their development. Furthermore, once established, the Free Trade Agreement will further boost bilateral trade volumes, and promote trade liberalization and facilitation. It will also guide the development of China-Africa relations."

Located along the Indian Ocean maritime trade route, Mauritius is an important link in China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Mauritian authorities say they are willing to contribute to the building of the Belt and Road, praising the initiative for its role in promoting free trade.

The Mauritian government's Vision 2030 development model aims to transform Mauritius into a high-income developed economy.

Ambassador Sun says the development plan can tie into Belt and Road development opportunities.

"The Mauritian government aims to transform the island country into a regional hub for trade, investment, transportation, finance. China has development experience, and advantages in many sectors such as infrastructure, communication, civil aviation, and fishing. I believe the two sides can tap their potentials and work together within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative."

Ambassador Sun Gongyi adds that the upcoming forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing is set to give new impetus to China-Mauritius ties, including beefing up collaboration between the two countries in the cultural sector.

Some 18-thousand Mauritians are of Chinese origin, making up 1.3 percent of the country's population.

Chinese culture is celebrated in Mauritius. An increasing number of Mauritian people are learning Chinese. And Mauritius is the only African country that celebrates the Chinese New Year as a public holiday.