(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles and China are determined to continue working together to make their bilateral relations more fruitful in the interest of both countries and their people, said a special representative from the Chinese government.

Xu Jinghu -- the Special Representative of the Chinese government for African Affairs -- made this statement during her meeting with Seychelles’ President Danny Faure at State House on Friday.

According to a communique from State House, Faure said, “China and Seychelles share very strong relationships. These are more than 40 years. These are excellent relations marked by respect and trust. We are very proud to have a strong partner like China that left an indelible mark in the areas of socio-economic development of the Seychelles." 

Speaking to reporters Xu said, “China has already finished different projects in Seychelles and they have become the symbol of our friendship and we will be working on new housing projects as well.” 

The latest projects mentioned is the construction of the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) House and the construction of 32 apartments for families of the Mont Fleuri district in the third phase of the project of Corgate Estate.

The Seychelles’ head of state and Xu also touched on the political, economic and commercial cooperation that exists between the two countries.

Xu Jinghu -- the Special Representative of the Chinese government for African Affairs met with Seychelles’ President Danny Faure at State House on Friday. (Joena Bonnelame, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

The special representative said that China is currently the sixth country contributing the most tourists to the Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. 

“We are also going to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in the tourism industry of Seychelles and to explore with the Seychellois counterpart how to attract more Chinese tourists,” said Xu, adding that Seychelles is there for China in both good and bad times.

Xu also wishes to reinforce the cultural exchange between the people of both countries.

On the bilateral relations between Seychelles and China, Xu said that “the two countries are faithful to their friendship and equality principles and the relation between the two countries is exemplary and has become a model between states of different sizes.”

“In the future, we are going to work together to extend our cooperation based on the need of either country,” she added.

Seychelles has a long history of cooperation with China since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976. Tourism, health, defence, education, construction are some of the existing areas of bilateral cooperation.

China is also assisting Seychelles in the area of the environment and last month the Environment Ministry and the Chinese department of Climate Change National Development and Reform Commission signed an agreement.

Under the agreement Curieuse, an island close to Praslin, the second-most populated island -- will benefit from 96 solar panels that will meet its total energy demand and 41 public schools on the three main islands -- Mahe, Praslin and La Digue – will receive 791 solar panels and 800 solar street lights.

The two countries will be celebrating 41 years of cooperation this year.