China is willing to work with Senegal to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, deepen their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and inject fresh impetus into China-Africa friendship and Global South cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Prime Minister of Senegal Ousmane Sonko, who is in China to attend the 2025 Summer Davos Forum, in Beijing.

The Chinese president noted that he co-chaired the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last September, leading China-Africa relations into a new phase of jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Xi also said that China and Senegal should firmly support each other’s independent and self-reliant development paths, strengthen party-to-party and governance exchanges, and continuously consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust.

China and Senegal are partners and good brothers on the road to development and revitalization, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work closely with Senegal to implement the 10 partnership actions between China and Africa, carry out more people’s livelihood projects, and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Senegal’s renewable energy, digital infrastructure and other sectors, becoming partners for win-win cooperation.

Noting China and Senegal each have their own unique culture, Xi said both countries should take the opportunity of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges to strengthen exchanges in fields such as culture, education, tourism, sports and youth, and bring their peoples closer together, becoming friends of mutual civilizational learning.

Both China and Senegal must firmly defend the international system with the United Nations at its core, practice true multilateralism, uphold global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contributions and shared benefits, and jointly promote world peace, prosperity, and progress, Xi said.

Sonko said China is a reliable partner for Senegal, and that the two countries have always respected each other, united in mutual assistance, with stable and resilient bilateral relations and good progress in cooperation in various fields.

Senegal firmly adheres to the one-China principle and looks forward to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership with China, advancing the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, energy and other fields, and contributing to Senegal’s economic and social development, Sonko said.

Both China and Senegal are members of the Global South with shared values, and Senegal is willing to closely cooperate with China on international and regional issues, firmly becoming China’s strategic partner, promoting international fairness and justice, and safeguarding the common interests of the Global South, Sonko added.

IOL

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