The Economic Community of West African States, as a cooperative
partner, wishes to consolidate unity and cooperation with China
under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
(FCAC), said Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja in Beijing on
Saturday.
The president, also chairman of the economic community, made the
remarks at the High-level Dialogue and 2nd Conference of Chinese
and African Entrepreneurs following the opening ceremony of the
FCAC Beijing Summit in the morning.
The region of West Africa boasts very rich mineral and other
natural resources, and his economic community wishes to build a
more effective partnership with China so as to improve
infrastructure systems, fulfill agricultural modernization and lift
up industrial competitiveness, he said.
Developing Africa-China economic and trade relations is an
important topic of the forum, and the Conference of Chinese and
African Entrepreneurs should further boost Africa-China partnership
and fulfill common development, he said.
China and Niger restored diplomatic relations on August 19,
1996. Tandja and Prime Minister Hama Amadou visited China in 2001
and 2003, respectively. Bilateral trade topped 34 million U.S.
dollars in 2005.
(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2006)