As part of a regional tour, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs Wu Hongbo recently visited Albania, where he met with Prime Minister Edi Rama and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani on July 1st.
Wu spoke highly of China-Albania traditional friendship, saying that China will not forget its old friends and is ready to continue to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, consolidate friendship and deepen cooperation with Albania, and take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year as an opportunity to push for new progress in China-Albania relations in the new era.
Although the relations between the two countries soured in the second half of the 1970s, for a considerable period the erstwhile People’s Socialist Republic of Albania (PSRA) was China’s closest political and ideological ally.
Prime Minister Edi Rama also leads the Socialist Party of Albania, the principal descendant of the former Party of Labour of Albania, which led the building of socialism in that country, although the party has long since abandoned Marxism.
The following article was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
On July 1, 2024, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs Wu Hongbo met respectively with Prime Minister Edi Rama and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani in Albania. The two sides had in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations.
Wu spoke highly of China-Albania traditional friendship, saying that China will not forget its old friends and is ready to continue to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, consolidate friendship and deepen cooperation with Albania, and take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year as an opportunity to push for new progress in China-Albania relations in the new era. The Albanian side said that it adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to strengthen practical cooperation with China in various fields to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. More Chinese tourists are welcome to Albania and Chinese companies are also welcome to invest and do business in Albania.
The two sides also had an exchange of views on regional hotspot issues of mutual interest.
