STORY: China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race held to promote road safety, healthy life
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 15, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 17, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:50
LOCATION: Addis Ababa
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the 2024 edition of the China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WEI QIANGYU, General manager of the CCCC Ethiopia Branch
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): DAGMAWIT AMARE, General manager of Great Ethiopian Run
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Amharic): MAMUSH DEREJE, Participant of China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race

STORYLINE:

The 2024 edition of the China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race was held Sunday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to promote bilateral relations, road safety and healthy lifestyles.
   
The event drew more than 2,000 participants in eight categories, including members of the diplomatic community, financial institutions, government offices, youth clubs and Chinese companies.
   
According to China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which has been sponsoring the race for the last 20 years along with local partners, this year's race, covering 12 kilometers for elite athletes and six kilometers for amateurs, was held on CCCC's newly built road in the eastern part of Addis Ababa.
   
The Ethio Electric Sports Club emerged victorious in the men's elite category, while the Oromia Construction and Engineering Corporation Athletics Club won in the women's elite category. The Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia stood first among the diplomatic community competitors.
   
Wei Qiangyu, general manager of the CCCC Ethiopia Branch, told Xinhua that the relay race is a typical demonstration that CCCC is living up to its principle of discharging its social responsibility through promoting road safety and social welfare in a country where it operates.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WEI QIANGYU, General manager of the CCCC Ethiopia Branch
"The main purpose that we have designed this kind of relay race is to promote road safety. So, every year we promote and make this theme as the main target to raise attention or awareness of the people for the quality works and driving safely to avoid any potential hazard or accident to the people."

Dagmawit Amare, general manager of Great Ethiopian Run, Ethiopia's premier event management company specializing in mass-participation running events, called for intensifying similar races to enhance the public's awareness of road safety in Ethiopia.
   
She said the relay race has brought Chinese and Ethiopian companies for the same purpose, fun and enjoyment, creating a bigger impact on the relations between the peoples of the two nations.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): DAGMAWIT AMARE, General manager of Great Ethiopian Run
"I just came across that China has lots of road races. I think over 1,500 races (a year). So, it shows that how much they value sport for the community, and I am glad that they are reflecting that here in Ethiopia as well. So, this is a great bonding between the two countries."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Amharic): MAMUSH DEREJE, Participant of China-Ethiopia Friendship Relay Race
"The road looks so nice. It is a new road, having larger space with good pedestrian lanes."
   
The annual event was started in 2004 when sections of the new ring road in Addis Ababa were completed, with the primary goal of promoting road safety awareness in Ethiopia, where road traffic accidents remain one of the most pressing public health problems.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Addis Ababa.
(XHTV)