On December 12, 2023, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Xue Bing visited Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region of Ethiopia, and met with Getachew Reda, Head of the Interim Regional Administration of Tigray regional state. Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia Shen Qinmin was present.

Xue Bing said that in October this year, China and Ethiopia jointly decided to elevate bilateral relations to an all-weather strategic partnership, opening a new historical chapter in friendly cooperation between the two countries. Noting that the current Tigray region is at a critical stage of consolidating peace and focusing on development, he stated China is willing to actively participate in the post-conflict reconstruction of the Tigray region, and support the region in developing economy and improving the people's livelihood.

Getachew Reda said that China is an important cooperative partner of the Tigray region and has multiple projects in the region. The current interim transitional government is actively implementing the peace agreement and carrying out post-conflict reconstruction. He expects Chinese companies to restart cooperation projects in the region as soon as possible to contribute to the economic and social development of the Tigray region.

Special Envoy Xue Bing and his delegation also visited Mekelle University and had discussions with the president, teachers and students of the university.