Algeria and China agree to enhance security and defense cooperation

Algeria and China, who share an old trade partnership, agreed on Tuesday to boost cooperation in other areas, including security and national defence.

After Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, the two countries also agreed to uphold each other’s core interests and safeguard their sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to a joint statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Algeria is of strategic importance to China due to its location on the Mediterranean. Relations between Beijing and the ruling National Liberation Front party date back to the late 1950s when Algeria was seeking independence from France. In 2014, the two countries raised the level of relations between them to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with Algeria becoming the first Arab country to hold such a partnership with China.

According to their statement issued on Tuesday, the two sides agreed to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership, and stressed the need for close political and security cooperation.

Signing agreements between Algeria and China during Tebboune’s visit to Beijing

The joint statement stated that China and Algeria agreed to work together in combating extremist terrorist organizations within their borders, and to support other countries such as Somalia and Sudan in their security efforts.

Tebboune, who is on his first visit to China since becoming president of Algeria in 2019, said his country is ready to strengthen partnership with China in order to support Algeria’s economic development.

Tebboune’s visit to Beijing comes after an official visit also to Russia last month, during which he appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to support Algeria to become a member of BRICS, a group of emerging markets that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The joint statement stated that China welcomes Algeria’s desire to Join the BRICS group and supports its efforts to achieve this goal.

Xi said the two sides will also cooperate in the fields of aerospace, infrastructure, petrochemicals and renewable energy. “The two countries helped each other through thick and thin,” he added.