ADDIS ABABA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia said on Sunday that recent misconceptions that downplayed China's engagement in Ethiopia are against the reality on the ground.
Tan Jian, who noted recent negative comments about China's engagement in Ethiopia that include a decrease in its investment in the east African country, said "such reports are not true."
Noting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, Tan said that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from China to Ethiopia has doubled in 2017 as compared to the figure in 2015.
He called recent media reports that indicated China's investment in Ethiopia is scaling back or Chinese investment has reached its limits "fake news."
He also downplayed negative perceptions and misconceptions against the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
"Some people say that China, in advancing Belt and Road Initiative, is exporting outdated assembly lines, exporting pollution. This is not true. It is fake news again." he said.
Tan made the remarks during the inauguration ceremony of the Chinese pharmaceutical giant, Sansheng Pharmaceuticals Plc, which started its production in the East African country on Sunday, with annual production capacity of 5 billion solid preparations, 300 million ampoules and 10 million large volume parenterals.
According to Tan, the quality of Sansheng Pharmaceuticals Plc. and other Chinese factories in Ethiopia, in terms of their level of technologies, can "match that in developed countries."
Tan said China's engagement in Ethiopia is based on investment, industrialization and infrastructure development, which he said is basic for Ethiopia and other African countries' development.
Despite the negative misconceptions, the Chinese government is keen to cooperate with Ethiopia and is quite confident of Ethiopia's future, he stressed.
