On November 18, 2017, Alemu Sime Feyisa, State Minister of the Ethiopian Ministry of Industry, led a delegation to visit China Building Materials Academy and CTC. Yao Yan, President of China Building Materials Academy and Chairman of CTC, met with the delegation. Zhu Lianbin and Chen Lu, Deputy General Managers of CTC; Li Juan, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of China Building Materials Academy; and Zhang Jing, Assistant to the General Manager of CNBM Smart Industry, also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Yao Yan introduced in detail to the Ethiopian Ministry of Industry delegation the development history, business scope, scientific and technological innovation, and international exchanges of China Building Materials Academy and CTC. Alemu also introduced to the Chinese side Ethiopia's second five-year industrial development plan and expressed willingness to carry out comprehensive and in-depth cooperation with China Building Materials Academy and CTC. To advance China-Ethiopia cooperation, President Yao Yan proposed carrying out four cooperation initiatives on the platform of establishing a China-Ethiopia Joint Laboratory: first, strengthen cooperation in the inspection and certification field to provide guarantees for promoting the quality of Ethiopian construction projects and the development and improvement of the building materials industry; second, carry out scientific research and standards cooperation and establish a joint laboratory to enhance Ethiopia's scientific research strength and industry development level; third, carry out education and training cooperation to improve the capabilities of Ethiopian personnel and high-end talent cultivation; fourth, advance Belt and Road cooperation, establish a comprehensive demonstration base in Ethiopia, carry out technology transformation and promotion relying on the base, and extend services to other African countries.

The two sides also discussed the possibility of expanding cooperation between China Building Materials Academy and CTC and Ethiopian universities and research institutions. During the visit, the delegation also visited the Green Key Laboratory of China Building Materials Academy, the exhibition room of China Building Materials Academy, and the Safety and Environmental Protection Laboratory and Photovoltaic Laboratory of CTC.