A delegation from the governing Communist Party of China (CPC) is in Rwanda for a three-day visit at an invitation of Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

Guo Yezhou, the Vice Minister of International Department in the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) is heading the delegation that arrived in the country on Thursday.

The delegation started with a visit at Kigali Genocide Memorial Friday  morning, where Yezhou noted in the guest book that "if someone closes eyes to his history; he will lose sight of the future,” referring to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The Gisozi-based memorial is home to remains of over 250,000 victims of the Genocide, majority of them were discovered in Kigali and its peripheries.

Guo Yezhou, the Vice Minister of International Department in the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) during the meeting with the RPF Secretary-General François Ngarambe at the RPF headquarters in Rusororo, Gasabo District. Photo: Emmanuel Kwizera.

The group afterwards paid a courtesy call on the RPF Secretary General, Francois Ngarambe, at the RPF headquarters in Rusororo, Gasabo District, where they held discussions on how to deepen relations.

"We discussed how to further strengthen the relationship between our parties especially regarding the economy, social welfare, and good governance. We also emphasised the need to engage youth in our leadership,” Oda Gasinzigwa, RPF’s Commissioner in Charge of International Relations told the press.

She added: "There is an already existing good relationship between the two parties and this is all because of how leaders of both countries work together.”

Ties between CPC and RPF spans to about 20 years now.

"We had very fruitful talks with the Secretary-General and we briefed each other on our priorities in the current works and what can be done in the future,” Yezhou told the media after the tête-à-tête.

"We looked at how to promote practical cooperation between both parties and how to implement consensus between Presidents of our countries, as well as implement outcomes from the FOCAC (China-Africa Cooperation) Summit.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Rwanda in July last year in a visit that aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between both countries.

During President Xi’s two-day visit, the two countries signed up to 15 bilateral agreements in different areas of cooperation.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com