BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Friday exchanged congratulations on the 45th anniversary of their countries' diplomatic relations.

China and Malaysia are friendly neighbors and important cooperation partners, said Xi in a congratulatory message.

Over the past 45 years, bilateral relations have been constantly strengthened and their practical cooperation has reaped bumper harvests, which has brought concrete benefits to the two peoples and made positive contributions to regional stability and development, Xi said.

Currently, both China and Malaysia are at a very important stage of development, and their cooperation enjoys broad prospects, said Xi.

"I attach great importance to China-Malaysia relations," he said, voicing hope that the two sides will take the joint construction of the Belt and Road as an opportunity to better synergize their development strategies so as to to further enrich their comprehensive strategic partnership and add fresh impetus to the regional development.

In his message, Sultan Abdullah said the Malaysian side is pleased to see that bilateral relations have been bearing fruits and the friendship between the two peoples has been deepening over the past 45 years.

Malaysia earnestly hopes that bilateral relations will continue to advance so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples, he said.

Also on Friday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Malaysian counterpart, Mahathir Mohamad, also exchanged congratulations.

In his message, Li said China would like to work with the Malaysian side and seize the opportunity of the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations to push for greater progress in their comprehensive strategic partnership and score more achievements in bilateral practical cooperation in various fields, so as to bring benefits to the two countries and peoples.

Lauding China's sustainable growth and peaceful development, Mahathir said China-Malaysia relations are close and friendly and Malaysia hopes to continuously expand cooperation with China.

China and Malaysia established diplomatic relations on May 31, 1974.