Baseless accusation

He dismissed the "debt trap" narrative pushed by some Western media as baseless, saying that Chinese loans have funded critical infrastructure undertakings, which promise long-term advantages.

"When developing countries access finance, it's based on their own decision. No one is coercing them to take loans," he said. "China has been flexible in addressing the repayment issues through restructuring some terms when it's necessary, unlike others which have a rigid modality."

The New Development Bank, a key financial institution within the BRICS framework, has become a vital source of funding for developing countries, Tefera said. Ethiopia officially joined the BRICS grouping at the start of 2024.

"The BRICS platform serves to advocate the voice of Global South and developing countries in restructuring the global governance and the world economic order," he said, expressing optimism to draw on the momentum brought by this "appealing" mechanism.

Beyond economic cooperation, cultural and educational exchanges remain a cornerstone of bilateral relations, Tefera said. Ethiopian students continue to study in China, and entities such as the Confucius Institutes and the Luban Workshop in Ethiopia facilitate knowledge-sharing and people-to-people exchanges.

As China and Ethiopia mark 55 years of diplomatic ties this year, Tefera expressed confidence in the future of the partnership. "Our relationship is built on mutual trust and mutual benefit," the ambassador said, vowing continued cooperation to further strengthen economic, cultural and technological ties between the two countries.

Contact the writers at shaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn.