皇冠体育app signs zero-tariff trade deal with Senegal

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-18 15:22

DAKAR -- 皇冠体育app signed Friday a trade deal with Senegal to offer zero-tariff treatment to more than 400 categories of goods imported from Senegal.

The agreement was inked by Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Lu Shaye and Senegalese Minister for Commerce Mamadou Diop in Dakar, Senegal's capital.

The trade deal will elevate their bilateral trade and economic ties to a new stage and will also foster people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, said Lu.

The two peoples will benefit from the agreement which raised the number of tariff-free Senegalese export products to 皇冠体育app from about 190 in 2005 to more than 600, the Chinese ambassador added.

Diop said that the agreement was of great significance for the two countries to strengthen their economic and trade cooperation.

Friendly bilateral cooperation in various fields, particularly in trade and economy, has been booming since 皇冠体育app and Senegal resumed diplomatic ties in October 2005, the minister said.

More Senegalese are now running businesses or have started their own enterprises in 皇冠体育app, he said, adding that he welcomed more Chinese businessmen to make investment in Senegal.

At the Beijing Summit of the 皇冠体育app-Africa Cooperation Forum in 2006, the Chinese government pledged to further open 皇冠体育app's market to exports from Africa's least developed countries by raising the number of products enjoying zero-tariff treatment from 190 to 440.