There are significant differences among West African countries in land area，population，economic structure，dynamism and investment climate. The investment scale among the countries in the region is comparatively small，but the intra-regional trade has become increasingly active. Most regional economies have enjoyed persistent economic growth in recent years though their average growth rates are lower compared to the other sub-regions. Political unrest in the region has heavily influenced its economic growth and social development. With the overall level of industries maintaining a fast growth，resource development is growing rapidly，which leads to the development of related industries such as infrastructure，etc. The regional agricultural growth is stable apart from that of some individual countries. Economic and trade cooperation between China and West African countries has maintained rapid development though structural problems existed. It is of great significance to attach great importance to participating in the prioritized industries advocated by the ECOWAS and to promote actively regional integration and industrialization. The Chinese companies participating in regional economic development in West Africa should pay equal attention to the issues of resource development and sustainable development，and actively participate in infrastructure constructions to accelerate the development of the downstream industries；In addition，they should strengthen the cooperation of basic science and technology，expand training in application technologies and promote the industrialization of the region.