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 here 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.