Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday received China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, at the National Palace in Addis Ababa, marking the start of the Chinese foreign minister’s two-day official visit to Ethiopia.
According to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, discussions during the meeting focused on strengthening Ethiopia–China bilateral relations, as well as exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Wang Yi’s visit to Ethiopia forms part of a broader weeklong tour of African countries, which also includes Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho, running from January 7 to 12, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
While in Addis Ababa, the Chinese foreign minister is also scheduled to attend the launch ceremony of the China–Africa “Year of People-to-People Exchanges” at the headquarters of the African Union (AU), an initiative aimed at deepening cultural, educational and social ties between China and African countries.
The visit underscores a long-standing diplomatic tradition, marking the 36th consecutive year in which Africa has been the destination of China’s foreign minister’s first overseas trip of the year. Analysts view the practice as a signal of Beijing’s sustained strategic and diplomatic focus on the continent.
Beyond Ethiopia, Wang Yi’s tour carries added significance in the Horn of Africa. His visit to Somalia is the first by a Chinese foreign minister since the 1980s and comes at a sensitive moment for the country. China has recently expressed support for Somalia following Israel’s recognition of the self-declared Somaliland region in December 2025.
Somali officials have described Wang’s visit as a diplomatic boost amid ongoing security and governance challenges, particularly around the Gulf of Aden, a vital maritime corridor for Chinese trade moving through the Red Sea toward Europe.
China remains Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching about $296 billion in 2024. Beijing says the current Africa tour is intended to inject new momentum into the building of an “all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future,” with countries such as Ethiopia and Somalia seen as key hubs for advancing political, economic and cultural cooperation.
Observers note that Wang Yi’s Africa visits, carried out against a backdrop of shifting global and regional dynamics, reflect China’s continued effort to balance strategic interests, trade access and diplomatic influence on the continent despite growing competition from other global actors.
