H.E.Mr. Qin Jian , Chinese Ambassador in Somalia interviewed by the Somali National News Agency

　2019年4月14日，索国家通讯社网站刊登此前对驻索马里大使覃俭的采访，全文如下：

　　1、记者：首先，我想问一下索马里与中国的双边关系，两国外交关系有什么进展？

　　覃俭：中索友好源远流长。600多年前，摩加迪沙已发展成商业和商人聚集的都市。当中国开辟古代海上丝绸之路时，著名航海家郑和率领170多艘船队，横渡印度洋，直达红海和非洲东海岸，两次抵达商业发达城市摩加迪沙。中国商人带来了茶叶和日用品。这是中索沿着古代海上丝绸之路最早的文化和贸易交往。的确，中索人民通过古老的海上丝绸之路联接在一起，今天的海上丝绸之路是两国人民友谊的新篇章。

1. First of all I would like to ask you about the bilateral relations between Somalia and China, is there any progress on diplomatic ties?

Qin Jian: China and Somalia enjoy a long friendship. More then 600 years ago, Mogadishu developed into the metropolis with business and merchants gathered.

When China opened the ancient Maritime Silk Road, the famous navigator Zheng He's voyage led a fleet of much more 170 ships, crossed the Indian Ocean,reached as far as the Red Sea and the east coast of Africa, arrived the twice commercial developed Mogadishu, Chinese businessmen brought tea and daily necessities. This is the earliest exchanges in the culture and trad between China and Somalia along the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Indeed, Chinese and Somali people are linked together by the ancient Maritime Silk Road, today's Maritime Silk Road is a new chapter in the friendship between the two peoples.

　　自1960年建交以来，两国关系经受住了国际风云变幻的考验，在政治、经济、文化、教育、体育、科技、医疗卫生等领域取得了丰硕成果。从1960年到1991年，中国政府在索马里建设了89个项目，迄今索马里国家体育场、贝纳迪尔医院和国家剧院仍见证着中索友谊。中国政府派出了13批共400人医疗队，为索马里数千人治愈了疾病。自1991年索马里陷入内战以来，中方一直积极支持和平与重建进程，为索马里提供大量援助，衷心祝愿索马里实现持久和平与稳定。

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1960, our bilateral relations have withstood the test of the ever-changing international situation, achieved the fruitful results in politics, economy, culture, education, sports, technology, healthcare and other fields. From 1960 to 1991, the Chinese Government built 89 projects in Somalia, so far the National Stadium, the Banadir Hospital and the National Theater are still witness the friendship between China and Somalia. The Chinese government sent the 13 batches of medical teams with the total of 400 members and cured the diseases for thousands of people in Somalia. Since the star of civil war in Somalia in 1991, the Chinese side has always been positively supporting the process of peace and reconstruction and providing a great deal of assistance to Somalia, sincerely wishes Somalia lasting peace and stability.

　　中国高度重视发展同索马里的关系，两国发展潜力巨大，两国友好合作前景广阔。中国具有产能、技术和装备优势，特别是改革开放40多年来，积累了发展经验。索马里是一个拥有自己历史、文化、语言和人民勤劳智慧的国家，发展潜力巨大，地理位置独特，具有重要的区位优势，自然资源丰富，拥有非洲最长、世界最美的海岸线，曾向世界出口高质量香蕉、芒果和渔业产品。我们愿同索马里一道，为两国在各领域的友好合作作出不懈努力。

China highly values its relationship with Somalia, our two countries development has the great potential, and our two countries cooperation and friendship have broad vistas. China has the advantage of production capacity, technology and equipment, especially the reform and opening up over 4 decades and accumulating the development experience. Somalia is a country with its history, culture, language, and people of hard work and wisdom, the great potential for development, unique geographical location, important regional advantages, rich in natural resources, as well as the Africa's longest and the world's most beautiful coastline, before exported high quality bananas, mango and fishery products to the outside world. We are willing to work with Somalia to make unremitting efforts for the friendly cooperation between the two countries in various fields.