Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Tunisian President Kais Saied at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 31, 2024. Xi held talks with Kais Saied in Beijing on Friday. Kais Saied, who is in China on a state visit, attended the opening ceremony of the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The announcement came as Xi held talks with Saied, who is on a state visit to China.

Noting that China and Tunisia are good friends and brothers, Xi said that over the past 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Tunisia have always respected and supported each other, and treated each other as equals despite international vicissitudes, writing a vivid chapter of developing countries standing together through thick and thin.

Consolidating and developing China-Tunisia relations conforms to the fundamental interests and common expectations of the two peoples, Xi noted, adding that China is willing to work with Tunisia to continue the traditional friendship, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and push bilateral relations to a new level.

"Today, we announced the establishment of China-Tunisia strategic partnership, which will open up an even brighter future for our relations," he said.

China supports Tunisia in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions, independently advancing the reform process, and keeping its future firmly in its own hands, Xi said.

China is ready to enhance synergy of development strategies with Tunisia, deepen cooperation in such fields as infrastructure construction and new energy, foster new growth engines for cooperation in medical and health care, green development, water resources, agriculture and other fields, and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries to achieve more results, Xi said, welcoming more high-quality Tunisian products into the Chinese market.

China is willing to continue to send high-caliber medical teams to Tunisia, deepen cooperation with Tunisia in education and tourism, and enhance people-to-people exchanges, he added.

Xi urged the two sides to work with countries in the Global South to strengthen solidarity and coordination, practice true multilateralism, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and achieve common development.

China is ready to work with Tunisia to build well the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, inject new impetus into the development of China-Arab relations, and jointly build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, he said.

Saied said he is pleased to pay a historic visit to China on the occasion of marking the 60th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties, and attend the opening ceremony of the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

Tunisia enjoys profound friendship and fruitful cooperation with China, and the country expects more support from China for its national development and closer cooperation in health, transportation, green development and education to raise bilateral relations to a new level, he said.

Tunisia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and staunchly supports China's efforts in achieving national reunification and safeguarding its core interests, Saied said.

He said Tunisia and Arab countries appreciate China's commitment to fairness and justice in international affairs. Every country has the right to independently choose a development path suiting its own national conditions. Tunisia is willing to work with China to uphold the common values of humanity, strengthen unity and coordination, oppose hegemonism and bloc confrontation, and create a more equal and beautiful world, so that people of all countries can enjoy real human rights and freedom, live in harmony, and share peace, security and prosperity.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Xi stressed that China's position is highly consistent with that of Arab countries, and China is ready to work with Tunisia and other Arab countries to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question based on the two-State solution.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents in various fields including green and low-carbon development and investment.

The two sides also issued a joint statement on the establishment of strategic partnership.

Prior to the talks, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Saied and his wife. A welcome banquet was also held for the guests around noon.