China and Algeria on Tuesday expressed their support for efforts aimed at reaching a “fair and permanent” solution in Western Sahara, in line with UN resolutions guaranteeing the self-determination of the Sahrawi people.
The statement, released by the Algerian presidency, comes a day after the Israeli government formally recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony considered by the UN to be a “non-autonomous territory”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed King Mohammed VI in a letter that the new Israeli position “will be reflected in all laws and documents” of the government and that the decision will be passed “to the United Nations, regional organizations and international institutions of which Israel is a member, as are all countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations”.
For his part, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is making an official visit to China until July 21, with the aim of strengthening ties between the two countries, coinciding with this year’s celebration of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.
Besides the issue of Western Sahara, territory occupied and annexed by Morocco since 1975, Algerian diplomacy reaffirmed its adherence to the principle of “one China” and the accession of Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory, as opposed to the island’s independence “in any form”.
Algiers also supported China’s stance on human rights issues against “attempts to politicize the issue or use it as leverage in international relations.”
For its part, China praised Algeria’s role in supporting the stability, development and establishment of peace and security on the continent through its tireless efforts for the peaceful resolution of crises, particularly in the Sahel region, Libya and Western Sahara.
In the economic and commercial field, both leaders reaffirmed their determination to deepen cooperation in all areas to increase trade volume, facilitate Algeria’s non-oil exports to China and increase the volume of quality Chinese investment, thanks to the new investment law in the land of the Maghreb.
Regarding Algeria’s entry into the BRICS – a bloc of emerging economies formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – his partner welcomed “Algeria’s positive desire to join this group” and supported “the efforts to achieve this goal”.
The Asian giant and the North African country have had historically good relations, which have been in good harmony since they signed a global cooperation agreement in 2014 and, four years later, Algeria joined the Chinese project One Belt, One Road (OBOR), which strives to revive the Silk Road and expand its influence on the African continent.
Source: DN
