China, Benin elevate relations to level of strategic partnership

Joint building of Belt and Road features prominently at leaders' talks in Beijing

President Xi Jinping and Beninese President Patrice Talon announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership on Friday as both leaders reached key consensuses during talks in Beijing on the joint building of the Belt and Road and enhancing cooperation on trade and investment.

In a joint statement released after their talks, the two nations pledged to expand the scale of bilateral trade, saying that China will actively support more Beninese products entering the Chinese market and encourage more businesses to invest and operate in Benin.

Xi rolled out the red carpet for Talon, who is making a state visit to China through Sunday. On Saturday, the Beninese president will attend the opening ceremony of the Global Trade in Services Summit of the China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing.

During their talks, Xi elaborated on the essence of the Chinese path to modernization, emphasizing that the key to China's different approach to modernization compared with the West lies in its adherence to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that suits its national conditions.

He expressed support for Benin in independently exploring a development path that suits its own circumstances and realizing the vision for its national development at an early date.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges of governance and administration experience with Benin, share reform and development experience, and firmly support each other in mutual development and revitalization, Xi said.

Xi said China is willing to strengthen people-to-people exchanges with Benin, enhance cooperation in education and training and healthcare, and continue to support the construction of Luban Workshops — a professional training program dedicated to the sharing of expertise by China's vocational education colleges.

Xi also made an appeal for both sides to strengthen counterterrorism and security cooperation, closely coordinate on international affairs, and uphold the common interests of developing countries and international fairness and justice.

As for China's Africa policy, Xi told Talon that Beijing has consistently treated its African friends with sincerity and provided genuine support for the continent's development, with China-Africa cooperation already becoming an example of South-South cooperation and international cooperation with Africa.

He reiterated support for Africa in becoming an important pole in global development, saying that China is willing to provide new opportunities for Africa through its own development.

He highlighted the need to promote the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of African countries, while pledging support for Africa in achieving economic recovery and sustainable growth.

Talon told Xi that China is a great friend of Benin, and the two peoples share a deep and sincere friendship, adding that high-quality and win-win cooperation between the two nations will offer a strong impetus to Benin's industrialization and national development.

He said that democracy should not have only one model, and true democracy should benefit all the people, with China having set a good example for other countries in this regard.

Benin has benefited greatly from China's governance and administration experience and it is willing to build a genuine strategic partnership with China

After their talks, the two leaders jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral agreements on the building of the Belt and Road, green development, the digital economy, agriculture and healthcare.