China has conducted customized cooperation with African partners under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), based on their respective interests, said Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
In an interview with China Media Group aired on Friday, Sonko hailed the BRI as a visionary and ambitious initiative that paves the way for common prosperity.
"I think the Belt and Road Initiative is highly visionary and ambitious, which shows President Xi Jinping's strategic insights and leadership. Senegal is the first country in West Africa to participate in the initiative. It is particularly important that Belt and Road cooperation is committed to achieving common prosperity. As you mentioned, in just a few years, many places in Africa have seen tangible achievements. It is not an unchangeable paradigm imposed on all countries, but rather a form of cooperation that allows each country to negotiate with China based on its own interests. The concerns of African countries vary as some hope to develop sports facilities, some focus on highway construction, and some prioritize industrial development. China carries out dialogue with each partner country on this basis, striving to maximize benefits," said Sonko.
"Belt and Road cooperation is also reflected in the specific planning. Since we took office, we have not only started to engage in relevant work within Senegal, but also actively consulted with neighboring countries to explore how to achieve resource sharing and coordinated development in multiple fields. We believe that all countries need to join hands and work together to prepare for the next stage of development," he said.
In March 2013, President Xi proposed the vision of a global community of shared future, and in September and October that year, he raised the initiative of joining with others to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, often referred to as the Belt and Road.
Over the 10-plus years, China has joined hands with all parties to promote the implementation and development of the BRI, making it a well-received public good featuring openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
China conducts customized Belt and Road cooperation with African partners: Senegalese PM
