Senegal gained independence in 1960 after formerly existing as a French colony, and in September of the same year, Léopold Sédar Senghor became Senegal's first president. Soon after, Senegal established relations with Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. In 1961, Senegal recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC), but the PRC was unwilling to maintain this relationship while Senegal still retained ties with Taiwan. President Senghor stated in 1964 that he did not wish to maintain economic ties with Beijing, but oppositionist groups, including the Senegal African Independence Party, a communist party, were in support of retaining a relationship with Beijing at the time. In 1971, Senegal voted in favor of the PRC joining the United Nations, a motion which passed. Two years later, in 1973, the PRC and Senegal established trade and economic agreements. These relations lasted until 1996, when Senegal resumed relations with Taipei and the PRC in turn suspended relations with Senegal. The PRC maintained this suspension until 2005 when the relationship was restored. In August 2016, current Senegalese President Macky Sall attended the G20 summit in Hangzhou as the leader of a guest country, where he met with Xi Jinping and said he wanted to push for more independent development in Africa (FOCAC).