Ties help drive Senegal's development

"Modernization" and "sharing governance experience" stood out among the key words and phrases used during the talks between President Xi Jinping and visiting Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday in Beijing.

China is willing to work with Senegal to realize their respective modernization and help advance Senegal's industrialization and agricultural modernization, Xi said.

China will continue to send technical experts in agriculture to Senegal, support the country in building industrial parks, and expand cooperation in emerging fields such as new energy, he added.

Faye, who is on his first state visit to China, is attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which started in Beijing on Wednesday and runs through Friday.

Observers said the visit fully reflects the great importance the new Senegalese administration attaches to developing its relations with China.

China is currently Senegal's largest trading partner. Last year, the two-way trade volume reached $5.57 billion, a year-on-year increase of 32.9 percent, according to the Foreign Ministry.

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

The two countries also issued a joint statement on deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership, which was established in 2016, and building a high-level China-Senegal community with a shared future.

Senegal was the first West African country to join the Belt and Road Initiative, and bilateral cooperation has seen major highlights in areas such as trade, investment, agriculture and infrastructure construction.

As part of the most recent top-level interaction, Xi sent a message to Faye in March, congratulating him on his election as Senegal's president.

Faye's state visit to China is his first trip to any country outside the continent in his current capacity, and Senegal looks to strengthen exchanges of governance experience with China, Senegalese Foreign Minister Yassine Fall told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

Before arriving in Beijing, Faye said the Chinese path to modernization, which is based on strong innovation, advanced industrialization and efficient resource management, has lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty — an achievement that has attracted global attention. "China is an inspiration to many developing countries, including Senegal," he told China Central Television.

When meeting with Xi on Wednesday, Faye expressed his gratitude for China's great hospitality, which he said offered him an opportunity to appreciate the beauty and friendliness of the country.

Senegal and China have worked together to carry out many successful projects that have strengthened Senegal's economic development and improved its people's livelihoods, Faye said, adding that his country is willing to enhance cooperation in areas such as agriculture, industry, digitalization, vocational training and youth.

Xi emphasized that China and Senegal "are friends and partners on the road to national development and revitalization", and that China is willing to strengthen the synergy between the two countries' development visions and seek common development.

China is also ready to step up exchanges with Senegal in terms of governance experience, Xi said, adding that the two nations will continue to support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns.

Senegal, together with China, has been co-chairing FOCAC since 2018.The two countries are co-hosting this year's FOCAC summit in Beijing.

As the fourth-term African co-chair of FOCAC, Senegal has made important contributions to China-Africa solidarity and cooperation over the past six years, Xi said.

China is ready to work with Senegal to make the summit a complete success, jointly promote the modernization of China and Africa, and start a new journey in China-Africa relations, he added.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, also met with Faye on Wednesday.