Niger ready to enhance cooperation with China: president

NIAMEY -- Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou has expressed his country's readiness to enhance cooperation with China in various fields.

The president made the remarks on Friday while meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong, who conveyed to the Nigerien leader Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings.

While asking Wang to extend his cordial greetings to President Xi, President Issoufou expressed appreciation for China's strong support for and generous assistance to Niger's economic development.

The Nigerien side greatly values its relations with China and stands ready to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation with China in various fields, said Issoufou.

The Chinese state councilor said Niger has been China's trustworthy friend and a partner of win-win cooperation.

Reiterating China's African policy featuring sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, and a policy of upholding justice and pursuing shared interests, Wang said China will work with the Nigerien side to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit held in Johannesburg.

He expressed hope that China and Niger will turn the three major advantages in bilateral relations, that is, political trust, people-to-people friendship, and economic complementarity, into tangible and fruitful results that benefit the two peoples, thus pushing bilateral relations into new heights.

China encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Niger, said Wang, adding that China is willing to expand cooperation with Niger in transportation, electricity, energy, agriculture and health, and help Niger strengthen its capacity for independent and sustainable development.