Eritrean President Isayas Afewerki on Thursday called for more economic and trade cooperation with China, saying that Eritrea "is determined to make this cooperation bigger and faster."

"The level of cooperation is very limited, is very small, compared to our ambition to expand cooperation with China in all areas, like mining, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism," Isayas said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, on the eve of the 15th founding anniversary of the State of Eritrea.

In terms of trade with China, "we would like for a bigger exchange," he added.

The direct trade volume between the two countries amounted to 29.17 million U.S. dollars last year. Last year, China's imports from Eritrea stood at 2.52 million dollars while its exports to Eritrea reached 26.65 million dollars, according to statistics from the Chinese Embassy in Eritrea.

"There is no zero-sum arrangement in partnership," said Isayas.

"We believe we can work together, we can take the risk together, we profit and benefit from our joint activities and that takes us to a higher level of cooperation, that is what we are doing, what we have been doing.

"And we are determined to make it bigger and faster," he added.

"We would like to see the possibility of expanding our partnership in long-term projects."

Isayas said the two countries could cooperate in all areas of mining, not only in gold, but also in other minerals.

"Mining in all areas is not only gold, I may not talk now about gas and petroleum or whatever, but that as another potential, we have outside gold other minerals we need to exploit," he said.

"We like to see China as a partner in this area, and other partners definitely are welcomed, but we like to see an expansion in this relationship."