China has congratulated Saudi Arabia's newly appointed crown prince and hopes to promote further ties between the two countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday.

China believes it is in line with the interests of countries in the region and the international community that Saudi Arabia maintains stability and development, Geng said in a daily news conference in Beijing.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Wednesday appointed his son Prince Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince and deputy prime minister.

China and Saudi Arabia agreed to lift their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in January 2016.

Geng said China is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to implement important agreements between the heads of state of the two countries and to push bilateral ties to achieve greater development.