On May 24, 2013, Vice Premier Wang Yang of the State Council, as special representative of President Xi Jinping, met with Hailemariam Dessalegn, Rotating Chairman of African Union (AU) and Prime Minister of Ethiopia, in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa while attending the special summit of AU to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

Wang Yang first conveyed the sincere greetings from President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to Hailemariam Dessalegn as well as Xi Jinping's warm congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the OAU. Wang Yang said that the inclusion of Africa in President Xi Jinping's first visit abroad in March fully demonstrates that the new Chinese leadership attaches great importance to the China-Africa relations. President Xi Jinping described the China-Ethiopia relations as brotherhood and an example for South-South cooperation. My current visit is to implement the achievements of President Xi's visit to Africa and to further promote China's practical cooperation with Africa and Ethiopia. The Chinese government encourages those capable businesses to invest and develop in Ethiopia and hopes that the Ethiopian side will further improve investment environment to be more attractive to Chinese businesses. China is ready to further strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure, mineral development and oil and gas exploitation.

Hailemariam welcomed Wang Yang for attending the AU's special summit as special envoy of President Xi. He believed that it indicates that China values the China-Africa relationship. Hailemariam spoke highly of China's contributions to the development of Africa and Ethiopia, expressing hope for wider and closer cooperation between China and Africa in trade, economy and other areas.

Following the meeting, Wang Yang and Hailemariam attended the signing ceremony of a number of cooperation agreements and exchanges of notes between China and Ethiopia.