BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- China and Africa are ready to uphold the spirit of solidarity and cooperation, jointly cope with various risks and challenges, and let their cooperation shine as an example of multilateralism and mutual benefits, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Senegalese President Macky Sall said Monday.

In a joint congratulatory message to mark the 20th anniversary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the two leaders said that China and Senegal, the forum's Chinese and African co-chairs, would like to celebrate the moment of great and unique significance with African countries.

Xi and Sall said they are willing to work with other FOCAC members to stick to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, constantly enrich and improve the forum's mechanism, and give full play to FOCAC's leading role in China-Africa relations.

Under the joint efforts made by China and Africa over the past two decades, FOCAC has grown into an important and dynamic platform for China and Africa to carry out collective dialogues, as well as an effective mechanism for practical cooperation, and represents an important flag for South-South cooperation, the two leaders said.

China and Africa have all along adhered to the principle of putting people first and committed themselves to the high-level development of the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, with FOCAC cooperation benefiting the people of both China and Africa, they said.

The two leaders recalled that at the successful 2018 FOCAC summit held in Beijing, China and Africa agreed to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future, charting the course of the future development of bilateral relations.