Xi holds talks with Senegalese president

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held talks with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit.

Noting that China and Senegal are friends and partners on the path of national development and revitalization, Xi said the bilateral cooperation has yielded tangible results and benefited the two peoples over the past years.

China is willing to work with Senegal to realize their respective modernization, and advance the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries to a new level, Xi said.

Xi said China is ready to deepen political mutual trust with Senegal, and continue to support each other on issues of their respective core interests and major concerns.

China will continue to send agricultural technical experts to Senegal, support Senegal in building industrial parks, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as new energy, and help advance Senegal's industrialization and agricultural modernization, Xi said.

China and Senegal share similar positions on many major international issues, Xi said, expressing China's willingness to strengthen multilateral coordination with Senegal to jointly safeguard international equity and justice, as well as the common interests of developing countries.

As the fourth-term African co-chair of the FOCAC, Senegal has made important contributions to China-Africa solidarity and cooperation, Xi said, adding that China stands ready to work with Senegal to make the summit a complete success, jointly promote the modernization of China and Africa, and embark on a new journey of China-Africa relations.

Faye said Senegal and China have jointly implemented many successful projects, which have boosted economic development and improved people's livelihood in Senegal.

Senegal is willing to enhance cooperation with China in fields such as agriculture, industry, digitalization, vocational training and youth, and advance bilateral relations to a higher level, Faye said.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in areas including the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, investment and economic cooperation, information and communication technology, human resources and green development.

The two sides released a joint statement on deepening bilateral relations and building a high-level China-Senegal community with a shared future.

Prior to the talks, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Faye and his wife Marie Khone Faye at the Great Hall of the People.