China is confident in the prospects for cooperation with the West African nation of Gabon, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday. 

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with his Gabonese counterpart Ali Bongo Ondimba at the Great Hall of the People, ahead of the upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). 

China and Gabon raised the bilateral relations to the comprehensive cooperative partnership in 2016. 

China supports Gabon in pursuing its own development path and is willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in infrastructure, energy, mining and agriculture, the Chinese president said. 

The friendship between Gabon and China has a long history and is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, Ali Bongo said. 

He also noted that China contributes to Gabon's industrialization and modernization.