BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has congratulated Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on his election as secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

In a congratulatory message sent on Thursday, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the OIC serves as an important bridge for China in developing relations with the Islamic world.

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In recent years, under the joint efforts of both sides, the relations between China and the OIC have continued to deepen and become more substantive, with mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, Wang said.

China attaches great importance to developing relations with the OIC, Wang said, adding that he stands ready to work with the secretary-general to advance China's relations with the OIC and the Islamic world.