Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his inauguration as Bangladesh’s president, saying China was ready to deepen bilateral co-operation under his leadership.

In a message sent on August 24, Xi said China and Bangladesh were neighbours with a long history of friendship. “Over the past 51 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Bangladesh have been always respecting and treating each other as equals, supporting each other on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns, and pursuing respective path of modernization hand in hand,” Xi wrote.

He said the bilateral relationship had withstood the test of “changing international circumstances”.

The Chinese president added that he was ready to work with President Mirza Fakhrul to carry forward the countries’ traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication and, enhance Belt and Road cooperation.

The two sides should also expand exchanges and cooperation across sectors, Xi said, to deepen the China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era and deliver steady, tangible results.

This would bring more benefits to the two countries’ peoples, he said.