Last updated: 11/27/2025
In a significant diplomatic engagement on Thursday, November 27, 2025, Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti welcomed Mu Hong, a high-ranking Chinese official whose multiple leadership positions signal the importance Beijing places on this relationship. Mu Hong serves as both Vice Chairman of China’s National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Chairman of the China-Africa Friendship Group, while also holding the crucial position of Vice President in charge of routine affairs of the Central Committee’s Office for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms.
The CPPCC represents China’s unique political consultation system, functioning as the highest advisory body that brings together representatives from various political parties, organizations, and ethnic groups. Unlike Western parliamentary systems, the CPPCC operates as a “united front” organization that enables the Communist Party to maintain dialogue with non-communist elements while retaining decision-making authority. This context is essential for understanding the significance of such high-level visits in China’s political framework.
During their meeting, Minister Nafti emphasized the historical friendship between Tunisia and China, noting the particular momentum gained since President Kais Saied’s state visit to China in May 2024. That visit culminated in the establishment of a formal strategic partnership between the two nations—a diplomatic classification that typically indicates deeper cooperation across multiple sectors including infrastructure, technology, and economic development.
The Minister stressed the importance of implementing the pillars of this partnership, specifically highlighting “development projects that serve the common interest” across “various vital fields.” This diplomatic language suggests potential cooperation in areas where China has demonstrated expertise in other African nations: transportation infrastructure, renewable energy, telecommunications, and special economic zones.
Minister Nafti also positioned Tunisia-China relations within broader regional frameworks, noting Tunisia’s participation in both Sino-Arab and Sino-African cooperation forums. This strategic positioning allows Tunisia to leverage China’s expanding influence across multiple geopolitical spheres while maintaining its traditional relationships with Western and regional partners.
For his part, Mu Hong praised Tunisia’s “attractiveness, ancient historical civilization, and unique geographical location”—standard diplomatic praise that nonetheless highlights Tunisia’s strategic position as a Mediterranean gateway to both African and European markets. More significantly, he explicitly stated that his visit aimed to “implement the understandings between the leaders” of both countries and expressed China’s readiness to “contribut[e] to the implementation of priority development projects in our country.”
This commitment to “priority development projects” raises important questions about what specific initiatives might emerge. Based on China’s pattern of engagement in similar middle-income countries, potential areas could include:
- Transportation Infrastructure: Modernization of ports, railways, or highway systems
- Energy Security: Renewable energy projects, particularly solar given Tunisia’s climate
- Digital Transformation: Telecommunications infrastructure and smart city technologies
- Industrial Cooperation: Special economic zones or manufacturing partnerships
The timing of this high-level engagement suggests both countries see strategic value in deepening their relationship. For Tunisia, Chinese investment and technical expertise could provide alternatives to traditional European partners and help address economic challenges. For China, Tunisia represents both a stable partner in North Africa and a potential model for cooperation with middle-income nations that have diversified international relationships.
As this partnership evolves, key questions will center on the balance between Tunisian development priorities and Chinese strategic interests, the transparency of project financing and implementation, and how these initiatives will create sustainable benefits for the Tunisian economy and workforce.
Keywords:Development Projects;Tunisia;Chinese Official
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