BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met with visiting King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of the Kingdom of Thailand here on Friday, calling for joint efforts to further advance the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future.

Xi said the king has taken China as the first major country to pay a state visit to and is the first Thai king to visit China since the establishment of diplomatic relations, which fully reflects the great importance attached to China-Thailand relations and the deep friendship characterized as "China and Thailand are as close as one family."

Xi expressed condolences over the recent death of Queen Mother Sirikit and noted that the Thai royal family has a time-honored relationship with China and has made important contributions to promoting friendship between the two countries, which China deeply appreciates.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the "Golden Jubilee of China-Thailand Friendship," Xi said that over the past half-century, amid an ever-changing international landscape, China and Thailand have always worked together and supported each other, making the two countries good relatives, good friends and good partners.

Xi said that at this new historical starting point, he would like to work with Thailand's king to further advance construction of the China-Thailand community with a shared future over the next 50 years and jointly write a new chapter in China-Thailand friendship.