Xi congratulates Madagascar leader on reelection

President Xi Jinping has congratulated Andry Rajoelina on his reelection as president of Madagascar, pledging to work with him to promote bilateral ties.

In a congratulatory message sent to Rajoelina on Tuesday, Xi said China and Madagascar have a longstanding friendship.

In recent years, both countries have stepped up development of their relations with fruitful achievements in exchanges and cooperation in various fields, he said, and they have firmly supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Madagascar relations, and is willing to work with Rajoelina to continue promoting greater development of the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries to better benefit their citizens.

On Friday, Madagascar's High Constitutional Court confirmed Rajoelina's victory in the presidential election.

He secured 58.96 percent of the votes cast, surpassing the required 50 percent threshold for a first-round victory, final results from the court showed.

"I will be the president of all the Malagasy people," Rajoelina told reporters.

Priorities for his new mandate would particularly focus on "assisting the most disadvantaged and revitalizing industrialization", he said.

Several diplomatic representations in the capital Antananarivo, including the United States and the European Union, issued a joint statement acknowledging the final results published by the court.

The country conducted its first round of the presidential election on Nov 16, which involved 13 candidates vying for the national leadership for the next five years.

Xinhua contributed to this story.