KIGALI - A senior member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Gao Shiqi, and the Secretary General of Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), François Ngarambe, yesterday signed an agreement aimed at taking the existing relations between the two parties to a higher level.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Shiqi said that Rwanda and China have shared bilateral relations for over 40 years, while RPF and CCP have been enjoying close ties since 1998.

"The relations we share with the RPF can now be judged as mature and we have now reached a high level of mutual consensus regarding the relations of the two ruling parties and our countries as well,” said Shiqi, who is the Secretary General of the CCP Central Committee.

During the talks which were also attended by several top RPF members, the CCP Goodwill delegation pledged to strengthen the China-Rwanda partnership, especially in the transport sector in rural areas.

Currently, some Chinese companies are taking part in infrastructure development within Rwanda.

Shiqi invited Rwanda to take part in the upcoming global agricultural forum scheduled for August in China.

Speaking at the function held at RPF headquarters, Ngarambe gave a detailed address to the delegation regarding how the RPF has transformed Rwanda since 1994.
"The cooperation between the two ruling parties automatically leads to the cooperation between the two nations and it’s the citizens who enjoy the benefits of these ties,” Ngarambe said.

"Our partnership has existed since 1998 and the new agreement we have signed is for upgrading our already existing cooperation”.

Present at the function were senators; Aloysie Inyumba, Wellars Gasamagera and Valens Munyabagisha, among others.

Shiqi paid homage to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre and laid a wreath on the mass graves.

"It is really touching and I will never forget this miserable event that happened in this country; we should draw lessons from this to build communities that are united,” said Shiqi.

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