Post-90s beauty boxer grapples four men
3,000-year-old tea town through lenses
22 archaeological sites along Silk Road in China
Football babies, Samba dancers embrace 'World Cup'
Beautiful scenery along China’s Grand Canal
High speed train attendants receive training in Chongqing
Rare rainbow clouds seen in Fujian
Small bracelet going global
Aerial Photography: Amazing Tianshan Mountains
'Animals' in 2014 World Cup
MOGADISHU, July 2 -- Newly appointed Chinese diplomat on Wednesday presented his credential to Somali Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Mohamed Beileh, as a first step in reopening China's embassy in the horn of Africa nation for more than two decades.
Wei Hongtian, Chargés d'affaires of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, presented his credentials to Abdirahman Mohamed Beileh, Somalia's foreign Minister at a ceremony at his office in Mogadishu.
Somali foreign minister Beileh hailed the appointment of the Chinese diplomat as a sign of the country's improving security and its relations with the outside world.
"We welcome the appointment of the Chinese official. Our relationship with China has always been strong and will further be strengthened by the reopening of the embassy in Mogadishu," Beileh told reporters in Mogadishu.
The appointment of the Chinese diplomat comes after more than twenty years of hiatus in the China diplomatic presence in the Somali capital Mogadishu following the outbreak of the civil conflict in 1991.
Chinese diplomat Wei Hongtian said despite the closure of Chinese embassy in Mogadishu for almost two decades, China's support for Somalia has not stopped and Chinese government has been backing peace and reconciliation effort in the country.
China has been one of the main donor countries for Somalia during the 2011-2012 famine that left hundreds of people dead and displaced thousands more.
China has also implemented various development projects in Somalia before the collapse of the central government. Among the projects implemented by Chinese government are roads, hospitals, sports facilities as well as the country's national theater in Mogadishu.
Featured hutongs in Beijing
Separate college entrance exam
Flash mob dance
Picturesque scenery of Ghost City
Children attend First Writing Ceremony
Female master poses for graduation photos with son
Silk Road, China's Grand Canal listed as World Heritage Sites
PKU students imitate famous paintings in real-person photos
Chinese 'Slumdog Millionaire'
Islands in S. China Sea better shown on new vertical atlas of China
Girl takes father’s portrait to travel the world
Images of Xi'an: Part one
In Pictures: Female fans of World Cup
Top 20 hottest women in the world in 2014
China's top 10 representative architecturesDay|Week|Month