China Opens New Visa Application Center in Ethiopia

The Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia has announced a new visa application center that caters more visa requests effective the 20th of March, 2023.

China’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Zhao Zhiyuan, and Director for China at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Fitsum-Birhan, and other invited guests were present at the announcement ceremony today.

The new visa center at the Dream Tower in Kolfe-Keraniyo Sub City will start trial operation from March 13 to 17, 2023 and officially operate on March 20, it was learned.

The new center is responsible for handling consular document applications, including applications for ordinary Chinese visas, China Hong Kong visas, China Macau visas, and consular authentication as well as collecting governmental fees for the above-mentioned certificates.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Zhiyuan said as China has downgraded the management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B and adjusted its policy against the pandemic, economic cooperation, trade, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges are increasing.

The flow of people between the two countries is therefore rising, he said, adding that more and more Ethiopian friends want to go to China.

The Chinese visa center is opened to cater to the needs of the surging demand for many Ethiopian friends, he stated.

The modern facility is expected to serve as a bridge of China-Ethiopia friendship to facilitate the exchanges and communication between the countries.

Samuel Fitsum-Birhan, Director for China, said Ethiopia and China are countries that have a strong friendship that spans several decades.

He further stated that by increasing the people-to-people relationship, the visa application center will play a significant role in strengthening the diplomatic cooperation between the governments of the two countries.

The direct flight of Ethiopian Airlines to various cities in China is enabling to strengthen economic and diplomatic cooperation with other African countries in addition to Ethiopia.

Source: Ethiopia News agency