In late June, Beijing was very hot under the scorching sun, but it could not stop Severin Adjovi, mayor of Ouidah of Benin on the Gulf of Guinea, from leading a delegation to visit China. Under the Sahara-type heat wave, the delegation visited the Bird’s Nest (the National Stadium) and the Water Cube (the National Aquatics Centre) with great interest. In the Asian tropical rainforest weather, the delegation visited the Coconut Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and Wenchang Yanfa Estate in Hainan and the Sino-Hongkong Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd. in Jiangmen, Guangdong. During its stay in China, the delegation had discussions with relevant departments of Jiangmen and Wenchang on the possibility of establishing friendship-city ties between Ouidah and the two cities to share complementary advantages and achieve common development, and on promoting China-Benin economic and trade exchanges and helping Ouidah construct projects that benefit the people.
　　 Ouidah with a population of more than 90,000 is 40 kilometres away from Cotonou, Benin’s economic capital, and borders on the Gulf of Guinea. It is reputed as Benin’s ancient cultural city and boasts rich tourist resources. The main problems Ouidah is now facing are shortage of water and electricity and backward road traffic. In order to improve the city’s environment and reshape its image so as to attract more tourists, Mayor Severin Adjovi hoped that through nongovernmental channels Chinese well drilling teams would be sent to his city to help solve the problem of shortage of drinking water. The Wenchang Municipal Government agreed that after the two cities established friendly cooperative relations, Wenchang would help Ouidah in constructing poverty-relief projects that would benefit the people and raise people’s standard of living.
　　The delegation visited the Sino-Hongkong Baotian Motorcycle Industrial Co. Ltd. in Jiangmen. The company’s products with excellent quality and low price have been sold well on the markets of Guinea, Tunisia, Egypt and some other countries. Mayor Severin Adjovi signed an agreement on cooperation with the company. Ouidah will introduce a motorcycle assembly line in November, 2009 and the products will be sold to surrounding African countries. The Chinese side will provide technology and equipment and the Beninese side will be in charge of production and marketing.
　　Mayor Severin Adjovi once served as vice president of Benin’s National Assembly, minister of national defense, minister of culture and communications, and minister of commerce, handicrafts and tourism. In 2008, he was elected mayor of Ouidah. He has been awarded the diploma of the Cross of Chevalier Paris (diploma de la Croix de Chevalier Paris), the diploma of the gold medal of the Paris International Federation of Commerce, Industry and Economy (diploma de la Medaille d 'or de la Federation Internationale du Commerce, de l 'Industrie et de l 'economie Paris), and the Oscar of the best African manager (Oscar du meilleur Manager Africain). He has published articles titled To Reconstruct Dahomey on the Ruins of Benin, From Dictatorship to Democracy Without Arms and Election of A State Leader in Africa. We believe that with the active efforts by Mayor Severin Adjovi, China-Benin friendly cooperation will achieve fruitful results.