China, Seychelles mark 50th anniversary of ties

President Xi Jinping and Seychelles' President Patrick Herminie exchanged congratulations on Tuesday on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, with both leaders vowing to deepen bilateral ties.

In his congratulatory message, Xi said that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Seychelles have consistently trusted and firmly supported each other regardless of changes in the international landscape, with the friendship between the two countries remaining rock solid.

As long as both sides uphold the original aspiration behind the establishment of diplomatic relations and move forward side by side, the path of China-Seychelles ties will grow even broader and the prospects for bilateral cooperation become even brighter, he said.

Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Seychelles relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Herminie to take the 50th anniversary as a new starting point to carry forward the traditional friendship.

Xi also pledged joint efforts with the president of Seychelles to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation within the frameworks of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and promote common development to elevate the countries' strategic partnership to new heights.

Herminie said in his message that Seychelles-China relations have steadily developed on the basis of mutual respect, mutual trust and common development over the past five decades.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn