Takingitssourceinoneoftheworld鈥檚richestcivilizations,Chinahasbeenandremainsanunrivaledscientificandartisticcrucible.Indeed,Chinaisattheoriginofanumberofmajorinventions,suchasthecompass,thebanknoteandthepapermaking,thathelpedrevolutionizetheworld鈥檚progress,especiallyinthefieldsoftradeandeconomy.
ThisChinesecreativityhassurvivedthroughouthistory,inducingoneofthefastesteconomicdevelopmentsintheworld.SuchdynamismisamodelformanyAfricancountriesfacingthesamechallengesthatChinafacedjustover25yearsago.
Inrecentyears,cooperationbetweenChinaandAfricahasbeenremarkablydynamic,tothepointofbecomingamodelofsustainablepartnershipforinclusiveandcommondevelopment.Suchpartnershipisnotonlypragmatic,butalsoveryeffectivesinceitisessentiallyorientedtowardtheprioritiesdefinedbyAfricansthemselves.
ThishasbeenpossiblebecauserelationsbetweenAfricaandChinaarebased,ontheonehand,onmutualrespectandunderstandingand,ontheotherhand,onthesimilarityoftheirtrajectory.Itisanencounterbetweenthecradleofhumanityandoneoftheoldesthumancivilizations,bothofwhichhaveshowngreatresilienceinthefaceofthenumerousupsanddownsintheirrespectivehistories.
ThisistherelevanceandthesignificancethatshouldbegiventotheForumonChina-AfricaCooperation,whosenextsummitwillbeheldonSeptember3-4inBeijing.ThisexceptionalplatformoffersaframeworkforfruitfulexchangebetweenChinaandAfrica,forwhichthispartnershipisdynamic,particularlyinthefieldsofinfrastructure,energyandindustry.
Sino-Senegaleserelations,whichasoftodayhavebeenupgradedtoacomprehensivestrategicpartnership,arefullyinlinewiththisframework,whilehavingtheirownspecialbilateraldimension.ThegreatrelationsbetweenChinaandSenegalarebased,ontheonehand,onmutualtrustandrespectbetweenChinesePresidentXiJinpingandmeand,ontheotherhand,onthefriendshipthatbondsourtwopeoples.
Thisiswhyourcooperation,inadditiontoitseconomicdimension,alsoincludesculturalaspects.ThisiseloquentlysymbolizedbytheconstructionofwonderfulbuildingssuchastheGrandNationalTheaterandtheMuseumofBlackCivilizations.Itisalsoevidentinthehealthcareandsportssectors,withtheconstructionoftheDiamniadioChildren鈥檚Hospital,theNationalWrestlingArenaandtherefurbishmentof11regionalstadiums.
Inaddition,Chinadonated2,000decorticatorsandgrindingmillsandcompletedadrillingprogramtotaling251wellsaspartofthehydrauliccomponentoftheThirdPhaseoftheUrgentCommunityDevelopmentProgram.Ofcourse,weshouldalsomentionthetwomostimportantinfrastructureprojectsthatSenegalhasundertooksinceitsindependence,namelytheThi猫s-MbourAIBDHighwayandtheIlaToubaHighway.
AllofthesemaketherelationsbetweenSenegalandChinaparticularlyimportanttome.ThisisthebasisofmyunyieldingwillingnesstoworkonadailybasistostrengthenSino-SenegalesecooperationwithmycounterpartandfriendPresidentXi,whosevisittoDakarinJulywillbeaspecialopportunitytofurtherstrengthenourrelations.Already,IwouldliketoextendawarmwelcometoPresidentXitothelandofT茅ranga[aWolofwordmeaninghospitality].
**ThisarticlewasoriginallywritteninFrench
**CommentstoPANGXINGLEIChinesePresidentXiJinpingmeetsSenegalesePresidentMackySallinHangzhou,China,onSeptember2,2016