President Xi Jinping and Nepalese President Ram Chandra Poudel exchanged congratulations on Friday on the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, with both leaders pledging to boost the countries' partnership.

In his congratulatory message to Poudel, Xi noted that China and Nepal are connected by mountains and rivers, with a long history of friendly exchanges.

Over the 70 years, the two countries have always upheld mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation, no matter how the international and regional landscapes evolve, setting an example for friendly coexistence between countries with different social systems and of different sizes, he said.

Xi noted that in recent years, China-Nepal relations have developed healthily and steadily, with their political mutual trust continuously enhanced and cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road and various fields expanding.

Saying that he highly values the development of China-Nepal ties, Xi emphasized that he is willing to work with Poudel to take the 70th anniversary as an opportunity to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, in order to promote bilateral ties to better benefit the two peoples and contribute to regional peace and development.

Poudel said that over the past 70 years, Nepal-China friendship has stood the test of time. He described China as a trustworthy neighbor and development partner for Nepal, and expressed his appreciation for China's long-term support for Nepal's development and its respect for Nepal's sovereignty and independence.

Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China principle and looks forward to joining hands with China to further deepen cooperation in various fields and realize the common vision of peace, progress and prosperity, Poudel said.

Also on Friday, Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulatory messages with Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the 70th anniversary, with both prime ministers committed to promoting bilateral ties.