Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday praised what he described as a “respectful and equitable” partnership with China..
This followed his high-level visit to Beijing marked by economic, political, and diplomatic engagements with the Chinese leadership.
Speaking at the end of his working and friendship visit, held alongside his participation in the Davos Forum, Sonko described the trip as “very satisfactory,” highlighting “fruitful engagements” with the Chinese authorities, financial institutions, and companies involved in Senegal.
A statement shared with APA by the Senegalese Government Information Office (BIG) quoted Sonko as extending gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang for the official invitation and the warm reception given to the Senegalese delegation.
In the course of his trip, Sonko visited the provinces of Hangzhou, Tianjin, and Beijing, and signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with local partners.
The Senegalese PM met with representatives from the Chinese private sector, including executives from Huawei and Alibaba, as well as senior officials from EximBank and the China Development Bank.
Talks were also held with the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) on priority projects for Senegal.
A working group, coordinated by Senegal’s Ministry of Economy, was set up to monitor the implementation of these commitments—particularly those tied up in audits or administrative bottlenecks.
Sonko also met officials from the Communist Party of China as part of inter-party relations and held high-level talks with President Xi Jinping, who reportedly described Senegal as the “pearl of Africa” and pledged support for the country’s Vision 2050.
Among the tangible outcomes were enhanced cooperation between Senegalese development hubs and Chinese provinces, and preliminary agreements on new strategic partnerships.
“We sensed deep respect and a genuine willingness for fair cooperation, regardless of our country’s size or development level,” Sonko stated, noting Senegal’s prominent role in China’s Africa diplomacy.
On the economic front, ties between the two countries continue to grow stronger. According to the April 2025 Foreign Trade Bulletin from Senegal’s National Agency for Statistics and Demography (ANSD), China is now Senegal’s top supplier, accounting for 13.6% of imports—ahead of France (10.2%) and Nicaragua (7.7%).
China is also one of Senegal’s main export destinations, receiving 10.7% of exports, behind the Netherlands (17.1%) and Mali (16.2%).
However, Senegal’s trade balance with China remains heavily negative, with a deficit of CFA 34.2 billion, compared to a surplus of CFA 4.9 billion the previous month.
AC/sf/lb/as/APA