Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that China and Burundi should strengthen unity and cooperation and make joint efforts to safeguard international equity and justice.

In a telephone conversation with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, Xi suggested the two sides continue to firmly support each other on issues related to their core interests, uphold independence and sovereignty, and oppose foreign interference.

Xi pointed out that China and Burundi have over recent years maintained high-level development of bilateral relations, enjoyed firm political mutual trust, achieved remarkable results in various fields of cooperation, kept close coordination in international affairs, and thus become a model of South-South cooperation.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have supported and helped each other, and further deepened their friendship, Xi noted, adding that China appreciates the Burundian side's adherence to a friendly policy towards China.

Xi stressed that China is willing to work with Burundi to enhance political and inter-party communication, deepen exchanges and cooperation between their legislatures, local governments and think tanks, increase sharing of governance experience, and better synergize their development strategies, so as to realize mutually beneficial cooperation and common development at higher levels and lift China-Burundi relations to new heights.

China supports Burundi's social and economic development as well as infrastructure cooperation projects, Xi said, suggesting that the agricultural demonstration centers built by the Chinese side and the agricultural experts from China be fully employed to push for more outcomes in bilateral agricultural cooperation and help Burundi achieve food security and eradication of rural poverty.

China, Xi added, is also willing to work with Burundi to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and contribute to making a success of the next forum.

Ndayishimiye, for his part, extended warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and spoke highly of the great achievements made by the CPC in eliminating poverty and battling the pandemic.

The Burundian side appreciates China's support for its efforts to safeguard sovereignty, territorial integrity and national independence, he said, adding that cooperation between Burundi and China has brought tangible benefits to the Burundian people and that the two countries will always be good friends and good brothers.

He said his country firmly supports China's positions on issues concerning its core interests, including Taiwan, Xinjiang and the South China Sea, as well as the adoption by China's National People's Congress of the decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The Burundi side attaches great importance to the development of its relations with China, he said, adding that his country hopes to learn from the CPC's governance experience, strengthen bilateral cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure and epidemic control, and promote the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Ndayishimiye added that his country is ready to help make the next FOCAC meeting a success.

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