19 August 2013, Beijing — China on Friday congratulated Ibrahim Keita Boubarka, widely known as IBK, on his election as president of Mali, pledging close cooperation with the new government and better bilateral relations. „Ibrahim Keita Boubarka is an old friend of China. We congratulate him on his election and believe that he will lead Mali to a new phase of national peace, stability and development,“ Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a press release. Calling Mali „a country traditionally friendly to China,“ Hong said China has always supported Mali’s peaceful development and will join efforts by the international community to support Mali’s national stability and economic and social development.
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