China and Tajikistan should coordinate efforts to contain the COVID-19 epidemic and promote bilateral trade, and be open to new ideas to ensure the implementation of key projects in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon on Tuesday.

Xi stressed that China-Tajikistan relations have reached a new historical starting point.

The two countries should plan for their cooperation in the "post COVID-19 era" as early as possible in key areas such as economy and trade, investment, energy, interconnectivity and agriculture so as to push for new progress in bilateral relations, Xi said.

True friendship reveals itself in time of trouble, Xi said, recalling that when China was at a difficult phase in response to COVID-19, the Tajik government and people from all walks of life supported China's anti-epidemic fight in various forms.

After COVID-19 broke out in Tajikistan, China provided assistance to the Tajik side to the best of its ability, Xi said.

Medical experts from both sides exchanged experience via video-link and a joint working group of Chinese medical experts visited many places across Tajikistan to actively carry out their work, which demonstrated an integral part of the notion of China-Tajikistan development community and security community, he said.

China stands ready to continue to provide support and assistance to brotherly Tajikistan, Xi said.

Xi expressed his belief that under the leadership of President Rahmon, Tajikistan will have an early victory against the disease.

China, Xi said, is willing to work with Tajikistan and other members of the international community to proactively carry out international cooperation against the pandemic and win together the battle of safeguarding global public health.

For his part, Rahmon said that under Xi's strong leadership, China's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has yielded remarkable results, and the country's economic and social development has achieved continous success, which demonstrated the outstanding governance capacity of the Chinese government.

The Tajik side appreciates China's great support for Tajikistan in combating the pandemic and reviving the economy, Rahmon said, adding that his country is willing to deepen friendship and mutual trust with China, help each other, and further align Tajikistan's national development strategy for the period up to 2030 with the joint construction of the Belt and Road.

Tajikistan is willing to expand cooperation with China in such areas as economy and trade, health, science and technology, step up collaboration with China within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and other regional organizations, and promote the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, he added.

Tajikistan earnestly abides by the one-China principle and supports China's legitimate measures to safeguard its own sovereignty and security, he said.

Rahmon said that his country is willing to work with China to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.