Chinese premier meets with president of Benin

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Beninese President Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon, who is in China for a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 1, 2023. [Xinhua/Ding Haitao]

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with President of the Republic of Benin Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon in Beijing on Friday.

Noting that Benin is an important partner to China in West Africa, Li said the two countries have always maintained sincere and friendly relations, which have become a model of mutual respect and equal treatment among developing countries.

Under the strategic guidance and promotion of the two heads of state, China-Benin relations will surely reach a new level, and the friendly cooperation in various fields will see more fruitful results, Li said.

He noted that China will, as always, firmly support Benin in following a development path that suits its national conditions, in safeguarding its national sovereignty, and in maintaining domestic stability and development.

To achieve mutual benefits and win-win cooperation, Li said that China will work with Benin to enhance the synergy of economic and social development strategies, and accelerate the implementation of key projects in light of the Belt and Road Initiative and the nine programs under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation framework. He said China will also work with Benin to steadily expand cooperation on infrastructure, oil and gas development, digital information and industrial parks, and to broaden people-to-people exchanges.

The premier said that China supports and encourages qualified Chinese enterprises to invest and operate businesses in Benin to promote local industrialization and agricultural modernization, and to help the country continue strengthening its domestic growth momentum.

China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Benin to practice genuine multilateralism, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, international fairness and international justice, Li added.

Noting that China is Benin's long-term friendly partner and the cooperation between the two countries has yielded fruitful results, Talon said China has set an example of development for Benin and other African countries.

He thanked China for the support and assistance it has provided to Benin and other African countries over the years.

Talon said Benin is willing to learn from China's development experience to deepen cooperation in such areas as industry, agriculture, investment and education, promote the continuous development of bilateral relations, and contribute to the construction of a community with a shared future.