BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani exchanged congratulations on Saturday on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Over the past 60 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, the two sides have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, setting a model of mutual support and win-win cooperation between developing countries, said Xi.

In recent years, China-Mauritania relations have been developing in a sound and stable manner, with growing political mutual trust and fruitful exchanges and cooperation across various fields, he said.

The Chinese leader recalled that he met with President Ghazouani last year during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, where they reached important consensuses and jointly announced the elevation of China-Mauritania relations to a strategic partnership, marking a new chapter in bilateral ties.

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Xi said he attached great importance to developing China-Mauritania relations and is willing to work with Ghazouani to take the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen mutual trust and cooperation, and jointly open up a new future for the development of the China-Mauritania strategic partnership, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

For his part, Ghazouani said that over the past 60 years, his country and China developed a solid friendship featuring close cooperation at all levels and mutual support on international occasions.

During the FOCAC Beijing Summit last September, he and Xi jointly lifted the exemplary bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, he said, calling the move a reflection of the deepening of bilateral ties, which will benefit the friendly people of the two countries, and help promote the security, prosperity and well-being of people around the world.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulatory messages with his Mauritanian counterpart, Mokhtar Ould Diay.

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In his message, Li said China is willing to make joint efforts with the Mauritanian side to take the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties as an opportunity to fully implement the important consensuses reached between Xi and Ghazouani, consistently enriching the content of the bilateral strategic partnership.

For his part, Ould Diay said Mauritania firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to work with China, under the wise guidance of the two presidents, to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership, serving the development of both countries.