Interview with Houssem Chafii, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of Public Affairs of the Tunisian People’s Movement
Houssem Chafii, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of Public Affairs of the Tunisian People’s Movement, stated that relations between Tunisia and China continue to strengthen. “Tunisia and China are friendly and brotherly nations. We share deep-rooted ties of friendship. Last year, we established a strategic partnership, and now we aim to further deepen this partnership in the fields of economy, technology, and culture,” he said.
The Belt and Road Initiative Promotes Development
Chafii noted that China is fostering global cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. “The Belt and Road Initiative accelerates economic development while also strengthening cultural exchanges and international cooperation. This initiative creates new opportunities for global development,” he said.
Following China’s development process closely, Chafii emphasized that China has achieved significant success in poverty alleviation and made remarkable progress in infrastructure and industrial sectors. He particularly highlighted that “China’s targeted poverty alleviation strategy, along with efforts to develop local industries and improve infrastructure, has significantly enhanced public welfare.”
Tunisia-China Economic Cooperation Grows
Highlighting the growing ties between Tunisia and China, Chafii noted that trade volume between the two countries is increasing, and Chinese brands are gaining significant traction in the Tunisian market. “In the coming period, we aim to deepen our cooperation in healthcare, transportation, green development, and education. At the same time, we seek to enhance knowledge sharing in industry and technology, achieving more concrete results in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation,” he added.
Chafii emphasized that China’s high-level opening-up policies will contribute to a more just and balanced global governance system, stating, “More developing countries will benefit from China’s development model.”