China is ready to bring its ties with Equatorial Guinea to new heights for the benefit of the two countries and the two peoples, President Xi Jinping said.

Xi made the remarks when exchanging congratulatory messages with Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Thursday, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Xi said he values developing bilateral relations and is ready to work with Obiang to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to consolidate political mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation within the framework of Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The two nations enjoy a profound traditional friendship, have always been sincere and friendly to each other and provide firm mutual support on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, he noted.

In addition, pragmatic cooperation has yielded fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of the two countries, he said.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and African countries, including Equatorial Guinea, have stood together and helped each other fight the virus, making every effort to safeguard the lives, health and safety of their peoples, thereby enriching China-Africa friendship, Xi said.

In his message, Obiang said that the two countries have been advancing hand in hand, understanding, cooperating and helping each other over the past 50 years, and cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results.

The two countries share similar experiences, he noted, saying that they hold shared positions, defend multilateralism, dialogue and consultation, and the principle of noninterference in other countries' internal affairs, and safeguard common interests at a time when the global community faces major challenges.

Equatorial Guinea is satisfied with the development of bilateral relations and is willing to work with China to keep expanding cooperation and to further consolidate friendly bilateral ties, he said.