Senegalese public applauds Xi’s focus on bilateral ties, cooperation

Accra, July 22, GNA –
A signed article by Chinese President Xi Jinping published on Friday in a
mainstream newspaper in Senegal has been applauded by the African country’s
public for the article’s focus on bilateral relations and cooperation.

In the article
titled “SUNU JAPPO, China and Senegal!” carried by Le Soleil ahead of
his state visit to Senegal, Xi praised the lifting of bilateral relations to a
comprehensive strategic partnership while expressing hope for greater progress
in ties.

 Bara Ndiaye, the administrator of Senegal’s
Maison de la Presse, said Xi brings forth brighter prospects for bilateral
relations by proposing to “enhance our mutual understanding and
friendship, and deepen cooperation” between the two countries.

“The article
was written by a leader who knows about and understands Africa well,” he
said.

Idrissa Faye, a
Senegalese citizen, said “I hope Senegal will participate in the
China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), so that our country could have
greater development.”

Xi said in his
article that by leveraging the BRI and the platform of the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation, China would work with Senegal to tap both countries’
strengths in the trade and processing of agricultural and aquatic products.

 “I watched on TV that the Chinese people
are fond of seafood, and I wish more and more Chinese would eat fish caught by
our people,” he said.

Senegalese
journalist Birane Cisse said he was especially happy with Xi’s proposal to
strengthen people-to-people ties.

 “If more Senegalese students can study in
China, and return equipped with China’s development experiences, our country
will be able to develop faster,” Cisse said.

In his article,
citing the Wolof proverb “Nit, nit ay garabam (Man is the remedy of
man)” as well as a Chinese saying to the similar effect of “One for
all, all for one,” Xi wrote that China and African countries including
Senegal cherish a common dream of prosperity and should work together to make
it come true.

“Having gone
through thick and thin together, China, Senegal and the vast African countries
are bound by similar historical experiences, the same development tasks and a
shared aspiration for a better life,” Xi wrote.

“To achieve
common development and prosperity, we need to join hands to build an even stronger
China-Africa community with a shared future,” he said.

Agreeing with such a
prospect, a Chadian software engineer currently living in Senegal called Hamid,
who only gave his first name, believed that developing Senegal-China
cooperation would bring progress in the ties between China and the West African
countries.

In particular, he
said he is longing for Chinese initiatives to facilitate Africa’s development
of information technology at the upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation in September.

Sana Badji, a
student at the Confucius Institute at Dakar University, thanked China for
providing the Senegalese people with a lot of support. “The Chinese
government helped us build the National Grand Theatre, and Chinese companies
built roads and schools,” Badji said.

What’s more, he
said, “China has offered medical assistance, sending doctors. We are very
happy with and obliged for the help.” 

GNA

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