1. Political relations

The People's Republic of China established the diplomatic relations with the Republic of Togo on September 19 1972. After the establishment of the diplomatic relations, the two countries saw a favorable development in the relationship.

Chinese leaders and officials who visited Togo mainly include: Ji Pengfei, Vice-chairman of the NPC (December 1978), Tian Jiyun, Vice-premier of the State Council (December 1984), Qian Qichen, Vice-premier and concurrently minister of foreign affairs (January 1995), Tang Jiaxuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs (June 1998), Wu Yi, Member of the State Council (January 2000), Xu Jialu, Vice-chairman of the NPC (May 2001) and Wang Guangya, Vice-minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (February 2002).

Leaders and officials who visited China from Togo mainly include: Gnassingbe Eyadema, President of Togo (August 1974, September 1981, April 1989, November 1995 and October 2000 he attended the opening ceremony of "Beijing Ministerial Meeting 2000 of the Sino-African Cooperation Forum" and afterwards visited China), Dahuku PERE, Speaker of the National Assembly (September 1996), Koffi Panou, Minister of Foreign Affairs (December 1996).

2. Bilateral economy and trade relations and economic and technological cooperation

Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations the Chinese side has carried out such projects in aid of Togo as agricultural development, Kara-conference building, Anie Sugar refinery combined enterprise (Complexe Sucrière D'Anie), Kara-hospital, Kpota sur Le Zio water-conducting irrigation project (Traveaux d'Irrigation-amenée à d'Eau Kpota sur le Zio) and Lome Stadium and so on. At present the projects being carried out are: the technical cooperation projects of the Lome Stadium and the Kara-conference building.

China and Togo signed agreement for government trade. The Chinese exports mainly cover: textile goods, mechanic and electric products, shoes and garments; the imports mainly include cotton and cashew-nuts with shells and so on. In 2001, the trading value of the two countries came to a total of US$ 108.977 million, of which the Chinese export took up US$ 108.752 million. In 2002, it went up to US$ 143.825 million, of which the Chinese export was US$ 138.475 million.

The mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Togo was started in 1991, according to which Jiangsu International Company and China Overseas Engineering Corporation went into the Togo market for the workforce undertaking projects.

3. Exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, education and military affairs

The two governments of China and Togo signed agreements for cultural and educational cooperation and the protocol for China to dispatch medical team to work in Togo. At present there are 15 Togo students studying in China. China started to send medical team to Togo in 1974 and now the 15thmedical team of 21 medical personnel are working respectively in Lome and Kara hospitals.

Those of the Chinese military side who visited Togo includes: Liu Kai, Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff of the PLA (March 1982), Lieutenant General Liu Tianbiao, Deputy Director of the General Political Department of the PLA (December 1996) and General Zhou Kunren, Political Commissar of the General Logistics Department (July 2000). For the Togo Military side who visited China one after the other includes: Brigadier General Assani TIDJANI, Minister of National Defence (June 1999), Zakari NANDJA, Chief of the General Staff (September 2000) and Berena GNAKOUDE, Chief of the General Staff of the army (October 2001).

In June 1996, Lome, the capital city of Togo and Shenzhen of China formed into friendly cities with the Lome tariff-bonded area to form into friendly tariff-bonded areas with that of Shenzhen.

4. Important bilateral agreement and document

On September 19, 1972, the two countries signed the "Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Togo".

(Chinese Foreign Ministry October 10, 2006)