Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent congratulations to Ratu Wiliame Katonivere on his taking office as Fijian president.

Noting that Fiji was the first Pacific island country to establish diplomatic relations with New China, Xi said that since the establishment of ties 46 years ago, China-Fiji relations have made remarkable progress and become a model of equal treatment and friendly cooperation between countries of different sizes.

Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Fiji have stood together and helped each other, and their friendship and cooperation have been increasingly deepened, Xi said.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Fiji relations, and stands ready to work with President Katonivere to strengthen all-round friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries, open up new broad prospects for China-Fiji comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to better benefit the two countries and their peoples.