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This review by the Chinese ambassador to Botswana marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the China and Botswana. According to the ambassador, trade and technical co-operation serve as the driving force behind bilateral relations between the two countries, as China considers mutually beneficial co-operation as more important and useful than unilateral assistance. The Chinese government has also undertaken technical exchanges and transfers with Botswana, notably in agriculture and health. From the 1970s to 1980s, China helped train a group of agriculture technical personnel from Botswana and sent experts to conduct local land survey and planning projects. Three Chinese senior agricultural experts are now helping Botswana in agricultural policy making and improving farming technology. In health and medicine, China has sent medical teams to Botswana since 1980, like the Twelfth Team, comprising 40 medical staff and six support staff, who provide medical services in public hospitals in Gaborone and Francistown. In the review, the ambassador acknowledges that his country aims to further scale up human resources development as an important component of bilateral relations. Since 1999 almost 300 Botswana officials and technicians have attended seminars, workshops and short-term training programmes in China – covering areas of administrative management, commerce, information etc – and the number is set to increase.