China hits out at sanctions on new African belt and road partner Eritrea as it focuses on ports
- The US and some European countries have punished Eritrea for its involvement in the war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region
- The tiny nation is strategically important to China’s attempts to expand its trade, given its proximity to Red Sea, Suez Canal and Europe
A joint statement by Wang and his counterpart Osman Saleh said both sides “oppose hegemonic interference in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights”. It added: “The Chinese side stands against any unilateral sanctions on Eritrea. The Eritrean side reaffirms adherence to the one-China principle.”
The US in November imposed sanctions on the Eritrean military, whose soldiers fought in the Tigray region alongside Ethiopian forces against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front rebel group.
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While meeting Isaias on Wednesday in Asmara, the capital, Wang announced that China would provide 100 million yuan (US$15.7 million) as additional support for Eritrea as the Horn of Africa nation welcomed China to invest in its mining, infrastructure and Massawa and Assab port developments.
