Chinese, Senegalese presidents agree to push ties to new level

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye agreed to deepen mutual and multilateral cooperation and push bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level during their meeting in Beijing on Wednesday.  

Faye is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit.

During the meeting, Xi noted that China and Senegal are friends and partners on the road of national development and rejuvenation. He said China is willing to work with Senegal to advance on their respective paths of modernization and push bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.

The Chinese president said that China is willing to deepen political mutual trust with Senegal and the two countries should continue to support each other on matters concerning each other's core interests and major concerns. Both countries should synergize their development strategies and promote common development, he added.

China will continue to send agricultural technical experts, support Senegal's construction of industrial parks and expand cooperation in new energy and other emerging fields, thus helping with Senegal's industrialization and agricultural modernization, Xi said.

Xi added China is willing to deepen multilateral cooperation with Senegal to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries.

Noting that FOCAC is a flagship of South-South cooperation, Xi said China is willing to work closely with Senegal to lead the summit to a complete success, join hands to promote China-Africa modernization and embark on a new journey of China-Africa relations.

For his part, Faye said it is a great honor for him to pay his first state visit to China and attend the upcoming FOCAC summit.

Since the establishment of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Senegal and China in 2016, bilateral cooperation has made continuous progress, said Faye, adding that multiple cooperation projects between Senegal and China have promoted economic development and improved people's livelihood in Senegal.

Senegal firmly adheres to the one-China principle, opposes politicizing the human rights issue and is committed to consolidating and deepening bilateral friendship with China, Faye said. 

Senegal is willing to advance bilateral cooperation in fields including agriculture, industry, digitization, vocational training and youth exchanges, and push bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.

Noting that FOCAC has made important contributions to Africa's economic and social development, Faye said Senegal is willing to work closely with China to ensure the upcoming FOCAC summit a complete success.

Speaking of the global initiatives Xi has proposed in recent years, Faye said Senegal appreciated China's commitment to promoting common development, fairness and justice, and was willing to strengthen multilateral communication and coordination with China.