This combo picture shows Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Senegalese president-elect Bassirou Diomaye Faye. (PHOTO / XINHUA,  AP)

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his election as Senegalese president.

Since China and Senegal established diplomatic ties, the two countries have embraced ever-stronger mutual political trust, fruitful achievements in practical cooperation, as well as close coordination on international affairs, Xi said.

As co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the two countries will jointly host a FOCAC summit in China this year, he said.

Noting that he attaches great importance to developing China-Senegal ties, Xi said he stands ready to work with Faye to support each other, enhance unity and coordination, hold a successful FOCAC summit together, and advance the continuous development of China-Senegal and China-Africa ties, so as to better benefit the people of both sides.