Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 4

Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Senegal on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Building a High-Level China-Senegal Community with a Shared Future

At the invitation of His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, paid a state visit to the People's Republic of China from September 2 to 8, 2024.

During the visit, the two heads of state held talks in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, exchanging in-depth views on China-Senegal relations, China-Africa relations under the new circumstances, and international and regional issues of common concern.

Both sides reiterated that China and Senegal are sincere friends and reliable partners on the path of peace, security, and development. With the accelerating evolution of the global landscape, China and Senegal share common values, making the strategic nature of China-Senegal relations even more prominent. To further consolidate mutual trust and expand cooperation in multiple fields, both sides have agreed to deepen the China-Senegal comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly build a high-level China-Senegal community with a shared future.

I. Consolidating High-Level Strategic Mutual Trust

(1) Both sides agreed that mutual respect, mutual support, win-win cooperation, and benefiting the people are the distinct characteristics of China-Senegal relations. Both sides are willing to carry forward the friendly tradition and conduct multifaceted strategic exchanges and cooperation within the framework of solidarity among "Global South" countries, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the African Union's Agenda 2063, to consolidate high-level strategic mutual trust and nurture the vigorous development of China-Senegal and China-Africa relations in the new era.

(2) The Chinese side reiterated its firm support for the Senegalese government's efforts to uphold national political and economic sovereignty, oppose external pressure and interference, and safeguard economic and social development. The Senegalese side reiterated its unwavering adherence to the One-China principle, believing that there is only one China in the world, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. It firmly opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and opposes external forces interfering in China's internal affairs. It reiterates that it will not engage in any form of official exchanges with Taiwan and firmly supports all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification. The Senegalese side firmly supports China's just position on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet.

(3) Both sides reiterated their firm support for each other's independent choice of a development path suited to their national conditions and are willing to maintain close party-to-party exchanges and strengthen the exchange of experience in governance and modernization.

The Chinese side commends the Senegalese government's commitment to promoting the well-being of its people and believes that the key areas identified in the Plan for Systemic Transformation and the Senegal 2050 Vision will achieve significant development. It wishes the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games—the first Olympic event on the African continent—a complete success. The Senegalese side thanked the Chinese side for its multifaceted support to the Senegalese Organizing Committee. The Chinese side will continue to provide support as much as possible.

The Senegalese side warmly congratulated the People's Republic of China on its 75th anniversary, highly commends the great achievements in national development and construction made by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and believes that Chinese-style modernization will provide reference and rich practical solutions for "Global South" countries to accelerate their development and move towards modernization.

(4) Both sides agreed that human rights are a common cause of all mankind, and that all countries should, in accordance with their national conditions and the wishes of their people, earnestly implement the right to survival and the right to development as the primary human rights, and should conduct human rights exchanges and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality.

II. Strengthening the Alignment of Development Strategies

(5) Both sides agreed to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture and industry. Both sides will strengthen cooperation in agricultural technology transfer, agricultural modernization, and rural water conservancy to help achieve food security. Both sides will continue to cooperate in the implementation of ongoing projects in agriculture, industrial park development, and infrastructure, including road transport, and jointly ensure the safety of cooperation projects and personnel. Actively explore cooperation in emerging areas such as green development, the digital economy, and the blue economy to create better conditions for cooperation in agricultural and industrial modernization. The Chinese side will support the Senegalese side in achieving health sovereignty through the construction of local pharmaceutical industries and vaccine production centers.

(6) Both sides agreed to expand trade and investment cooperation. Both sides are pleased to see the expansion of bilateral trade and welcome Senegal's participation in the China International Import Expo, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, and the 8th China-Africa Business Conference. The Chinese side is willing to grant Senegal more favorable trade and tariff treatment and support the expansion of imports of high-quality agricultural products such as peanuts. The Chinese side is willing to encourage more enterprises to invest and operate in Senegal to contribute to improving local processing levels and creating jobs. Both sides are committed to providing a stable, fair, and convenient business environment for each other's enterprises and protecting the safety and legitimate rights and interests of personnel, projects, and institutions.

(7) Both sides attach great importance to strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector and will promote each other's tourism destinations to their respective travel agencies to encourage tourists from both countries to visit each other.

(8) Both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges among women, youth, academic and university institutions, and consolidate cooperation in talent cultivation. Both sides highly commended the achievements of cooperation in the fields of health, culture, education, sports, youth, and human resource development. Both sides will continue to support Chinese language teaching in Senegal and support eligible Senegalese educational institutions in applying for Confucius Institutes. The Chinese side will continue to provide government scholarships and technical training opportunities to outstanding Senegalese youth, particularly in the fields of medicine, satellites, aviation, mathematics, science, engineering, and information and communication technology, to cultivate more applicable talents. Both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of peace, defense, security, and citizen protection, maintain close exchanges between the two countries' defense and security forces, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as personnel training and equipment technology to create a favorable environment for promoting development.

III. Jointly Upholding Multilateralism and International Fairness and Justice

(9) Both sides agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation on multilateral affairs. Both sides reiterated the sovereign equality of all countries, opposed hegemonism, interference, and power politics, jointly upheld true multilateralism, resolutely defended the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and promoted an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive and beneficial economic globalization. The Chinese side supports Senegal's continued constructive diplomatic actions in international and regional affairs.

(10) Both sides agreed that UN Security Council reform should take into account the reasonable expectations of developing countries, including African countries, to play a greater role, expanding their representation and voice in the Security Council to correct the historical injustices suffered by Africa. The Chinese side commends the important role played by Senegal as a member of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government of the African Union on UN Security Council Reform and is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with Senegal.

(11) Both sides agreed that all countries should adhere to the common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security view, uphold respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, uphold attention to the legitimate security concerns of all countries, uphold the peaceful settlement of differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, and uphold the coordination of maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional areas. With the rampant terrorism in Africa, both sides will strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism.

Both sides called for promoting a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, and for the international community to play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation and facilitating peace talks. Both sides believe that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable way out of the crisis and call on all parties concerned in the conflict to promote de-escalation. In this regard, Senegal commends the "Six-Point Consensus" on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis issued by China and Brazil.

Both sides expressed deep concern over the serious humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip caused by the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its negative impact on peace and security in the Middle East, calling for an immediate ceasefire, and supporting the resumption of the political process for resolving the Palestinian issue based on the "two-state solution". Senegal commends China's constructive role as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in promoting a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring humanitarian relief, and promoting Palestinian internal reconciliation. China commends Senegal's positive role as the chair of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in quelling the Gaza conflict and is willing to work together to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to jointly promoting reforms of multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, and to promoting the development of a more just and equitable global governance system that takes into account the development aspirations of developing countries, including African countries. Senegal thanked China for taking the lead in and consistently supporting the African Union's accession to the Group of Twenty (G20), and called on China and the African Union to strengthen cooperation and continue to consider fairly and equitably Africa's concerns regarding development financing.

IV. Promoting the Opening of a New Era of Building a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future

Both sides highly commended the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in promoting, guiding, and facilitating high-quality China-Africa cooperation over the past 24 years, and agreed that the Beijing Summit has opened a new chapter for China-Africa solidarity and cooperation. Both sides welcomed the forthcoming adoption of the "Beijing Declaration of the 2024 FOCAC Summit" and the "FOCAC-Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027)", believing that this will deepen mutually beneficial and pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa and achieve common development and prosperity. China commends President Faye's speech at the opening ceremony of the summit and the 8th China-Africa Business Conference and looks forward to fruitful results from the meeting to promote the common development of both sides.

Both sides agreed that this summit will inherit and carry forward the principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith, and the correct approach to righteousness and self-interest, and the spirit of China-Africa friendly cooperation, and will consolidate the consensus between China and Africa on major issues such as jointly promoting modernization and building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. China and Africa will firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, and will strengthen cooperation in global governance, peace and security, economic and trade cooperation, climate change, scientific and technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and other fields, continuously enhancing the level of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Africa.

Both sides agreed that the "Global South," represented by China and Africa, two major forces, is becoming increasingly prominent and is becoming an important force in upholding international fairness and justice and promoting world peace and development. Senegal commends China's outspoken advocacy for African countries on international occasions and its contributions to safeguarding the common interests of developing countries. China commends the Pan-Africanist ideals and will continue to support African countries in uniting and striving for self-reliance, solidarity and revitalization, speaking with one voice in international affairs, and prioritizing support for African solutions to African problems.

China highly commends the important leadership role played by Senegal since September 2018, when it assumed the co-chairmanship of the FOCAC on behalf of the African side, in the development and construction of the FOCAC. China and Senegal worked closely together to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully held the 8th Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC, pushing China-Africa relations into a new stage of development. China commends Senegal's important and positive contributions to the preparation of this summit.

Both sides agreed that President Faye's visit to China was a complete success, and that China and Senegal reached a wide range of important consensus and signed a series of bilateral cooperation agreements, which are of great significance to promoting the development of China-Senegal relations and promoting the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

President Faye expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government and people for their warm and friendly reception of him and the Senegalese delegation.