Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks 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, Sep 1, 2023. Photo:Xinhua

Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting Beninese President Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon jointly announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries on Friday in Beijing and witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation documents on the Belt and Road Initiative, green development, digital economy, agriculture products and public health.
During their meeting, Xi said that in recent years, China-Benin relations have developed well, solid progress in pragmatic cooperation has been made, and both sides understand and support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, and the friendship between the two peoples is deepening.

Xi said that China supports Benin to independently explore a development path that suits its own conditions and achieve the vision of "Benin's rise" at an early date. China is willing to strengthen exchanges of governance experience with Benin, as well as reform and development experience.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks 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, Sep 1, 2023. Photo:Xinhua

President Talon is the first African leader that Xi met in Beijing after returning from South Africa where he attended the 15th BRICS Summit and co-chaired the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue in Johannesburg with South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.

Analysts expressed high anticipations for deeper relations between China and Benin under the head-of-state diplomacy and wider cooperation in the near future, especially projects under the BRI, to draw China and Africa closer and inject more stability into Africa.

Benin is currently facing the important task of developing a diversified economy, while many countries in the West African region are experiencing turmoil. Strengthening cooperation with China, especially under the BRI, will help Benin achieve independent development, implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and enhance the country's political and economic security, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times.

This is Talon's third visit to China as president since he took office in 2016. In September 2016, just five months into his presidency, Talon embarked on his first visit to China, attending the Second Forum on China-Africa Investment in Shanghai. In 2018, Talon visited China again to participate in the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Talon has highly praised China's achievements in development, and expressed his desire to learn from China's successful experience in reform and opening-up.

During the Friday meeting, Talon said Benin firmly adheres to the one-China principle, supports the Global Development, Security, and Civilization initiatives, and is willing to closely communicate and cooperate with China, actively promote the BRI and the construction of a community with a shared future.

Song said that as one of the least developed countries in the world, Benin, like many other African countries, is facing challenges. Over the years, China has been providing Benin with food and assistance in cotton planting to the best of its capability, and helping African countries to better integrate into the global value chain. The BRI has played an important role in promoting Africa's economic development.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI, and analysts predict more cooperation will be seen between China and African countries, and South-South cooperation will expand.

Days before Talon's visit to China, the 13th edition of the Chinese Products Fair opened on August 21 in Cotonou, Benin's economic capital, with more than 40 Chinese exhibitors visiting Benin to explore the local investment and business environment.

Chinese Ambassador to Benin, Peng Jingtao, said China is opening its arms to all friendly African countries to get on board the express train of its development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

China supports Africa in becoming an important pillar of world political, economic, and cultural development, and is willing to provide new opportunities for African countries, including Benin, with China's development, which will enhance South-South cooperation and inject more growth momentum into the world, analysts said.