China on Thursday vowed to make joint efforts with Senegal to overcome the challenge of the pandemic, support the acceleration of industrialization in the country, and improve its independent development capability.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during a conversation on the phone with Senegal's Foreign Minister, Aissata Tall Sall.

Wang said that China and Senegal have been working towards resolving difficulties together in the face of the pandemic.

Chinese-funded enterprises in Senegal have made great efforts to overcome the epidemic's impact and completed a series of projects that are helpful for the African country to improve its national economy and people's livelihood, he added.

Wang said that China and Africa jointly launched the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development at the UN Security Council High-level Meeting on Peace and Security in Africa: "Addressing root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa" on Wednesday, which has achieved good results.

China is ready to join hands with African countries, including Senegal, to encourage more countries to join the initiative, strengthen the call for the international community to support Africa's development jointly, and come up with concrete measures to implement the initiative during the gathering of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, said Wang.

He added that China fully supports Senegal in hosting a successful new session of the FOCAC so as to maintain the sound momentum of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation.

Aissata thanked China for its strong support to the African continent and Senegal in fighting the pandemic. She highlighted that a series of measures and suggestions put forward by China during the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit On Solidarity Against COVID-19 held in June last year has benefited Africa a lot.

Noting that President Macky Sall will assume the rotating presidency of the African Union next year, Aissata said Senegal supports and is ready to work with China to implement the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development. 

(With input from Xinhua)