BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping and President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso on Thursday jointly announced upgrading bilateral ties to a high-level community with a shared future.

The announcement was made during Xi's meeting with Sassou Nguesso, who is in China for commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Xi noted that the relationship between China and the Republic of the Congo stands as a model of China-Africa friendship.

The two sides should leverage the political advantages of friendship and mutual trust, and explore new paths for cooperation, Xi said.

Faced with a world of change and disorder, China and Africa, as important members of the Global South, must shoulder the historic responsibility of upholding international fairness and justice, safeguarding world peace, and promoting common development.

Sassou Nguesso said that the elevation of relations between China and the Republic of the Congo has established a new framework for common prosperity and development of the two countries.

As a co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Republic of the Congo is willing to work with China to advance China-Africa cooperation and achieve greater progress, he said.

The Republic of the Congo fully supports the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi, Sassou Nguesso said, noting that it is a significant proposal that would benefit countries of the Global South.