On Saturday, June 1, 2024, the President of the Tunisian Republic, Kais Saied, accompanied by his wife and an official delegation, made a significant visit to China.
This visit, which integrated the theme of technological innovation and strategic partnerships, highlighted the growing importance of Sino-Tunisian relations.
Visit to the Huawei Great Library
The first leg of the visit took President Saied and his delegation to Dongguan, where they visited the Great Library of the famous company Huawei. Welcomed by the curator of the library, the President had the opportunity to admire the different pavilions, in particular the one dedicated to Tunisia.
During this visit, President Saied spoke of the richness of Tunisian history and symbolically offered several Tunisian works to the library, thus strengthening cultural ties between the two nations.
Meeting with the Founder of Huawei
Subsequently, the Tunisian President visited Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen. There, he met Ren Zhengfei, the company’s founder, and toured the various pavilions to learn about the company’s latest technological innovations. A detailed presentation was made on Huawei’s global activities, with a particular focus on its operations and future opportunities in Tunisia.
President Saied stressed the importance of digitalization, saying that it has become a necessity. “Digitalization is not limited to speed and transparency of services; it also plays a crucial role in the fight against corruption, as many international experiences have demonstrated,” he said.
Visit to the BYD Company
The day continued with a visit to BYD, a Chinese company specializing in the manufacturing of electric and hybrid energy vehicles. President Saied was particularly interested in public transportation solutions such as buses, metros, and trains.
Stressing the importance of public transport service in Tunisia, he stressed: “Public transport is an absolute priority for our country. We must find rapid and effective solutions to save and develop this sector because it is crucial to guarantee this right effectively and to stimulate economic growth.”
Thus, this high-level visit to China marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between Tunisia and China.
By exploring the opportunities offered by technology giants like Huawei and BYD, President Saied has shown a determination to embrace digitalization and renewable energy to propel Tunisia towards a more innovative and sustainable future.
