On the morning of September 4, 2024, President Xi Jinping held talks with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is in China for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi Jinping stressed that China and Senegal are friends and partners on the path to national development and revitalization. Over the years, the two sides have carried out cooperation in the spirit of sincerity, friendship, equality, respect and win-win cooperation, and achieved tangible results and benefited the two peoples. China is ready to join hands and move forward with Senegal on their respective paths to achieve modernization and continuously elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries to new heights.
Xi Jinping pointed out that China is ready to strengthen exchanges of governance experience with Senegal, deepen political mutual trust and continue to support each other on issues related to their respective core interests and major concerns. Xi Jinping called on both sides to strengthen the synergy of development strategies and promote common development. China will continue to send agricultural technological experts to support Senegal in building industrial parks, expand cooperation in new energy and other emerging fields, and boost Senegal's industrialization and agricultural modernization process. China and Senegal hold similar positions on many major international issues, and China is ready to work closely with Senegal in multilateral coordination to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries.
Xi Jinping pointed out that the FOCAC is a golden brand of South-South cooperation, leading international cooperation with Africa and making important contributions to world peace and development. Over the past six years since China and Senegal assumed the co-chairs of the FOCAC, China and Africa have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and other difficulties and successfully completed the eight major initiatives and nine programs launched at the two previous FOCAC conferences, advancing China-Africa relations into a new stage. As the fourth African co-chair of FOCAC, Senegal has made important contributions to China-Africa solidarity and cooperation. China is ready to work closely with Senegal to lead the summit to achieve complete success, join hands to advance China-Africa modernization and start a new journey of China-Africa relations.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye said that it is a great honor for him to pay his first state visit to China and attend the FOCAC Beijing Summit. He thanked the Chinese side for the warm hospitality that has made him appreciate the beauty and friendliness of China. Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Senegal and China in 2016, bilateral cooperation has made continuous progress. Senegal and China have implemented many successful projects through cooperation, which has promoted economic development and improved people's livelihood in Senegal. Senegal firmly abides by the one-China principle, opposes politicizing the human rights issue, and is committed to consolidating and deepening its friendship with China. Senegal is willing to learn from China's successful experience in party and state governance, advance cooperation in agriculture, industry, digitalization, vocational training, youth and other fields, and elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Senegal and China to a higher level. The establishment and development of FOCAC is based on friendship, trust, mutual respect, solidarity, cooperation, practicality and efficiency, and has made important contributions to Africa's economic and social development. Senegal is ready to work closely with China to ensure the full success of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Senegal spoke highly of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping, appreciated China's commitment to promoting common development, fairness and justice, and is ready to strengthen multilateral communication and cooperation with China.
After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, investment and economic cooperation, information and communication technology, human resources, green development and other fields.
The two sides issued a Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Senegal on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and Building a High-Level China-Senegal Community with a Shared Future.
Before the talks, Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcoming ceremony for Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his wife Marie Khone Faye at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.
Wang Yi was present at the above events.
