Xi vows closer ties with Africa in shared future

China stands ready to join hands with African countries to comprehensively implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and build a much closer China-Africa community with a shared future, President Xi Jinping said.

Xi made the remarks in a message delivered to his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall, who is also the African co-chair of the FOCAC, on Sunday. The president also extended his congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the forum. The message was made public on Wednesday.

Xi said that China is willing to work alongside Senegal to fulfill the responsibility of the co-chairs of the FOCAC, and take the 20th anniversary as an opportunity to make joint efforts with African countries to secure greater development of the Sino-African comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xi also thanked Sall for the sympathies the Senegalese leader had extended over the epidemic of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus and for his support in China's efforts to fight it.

He said that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people are working together with strong resolve, as well as with scientific and tailor-made measures, to control the outbreak. They have full confidence in the country's capabilities to win the battle against the virus, the president said.

Earlier, in separate letters, Sall congratulated Xi on the arrival of China's Lunar New Year and had expressed his sympathy over, and support for, the country's battle against the coronavirus outbreak.