BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Denis Sassou Nguesso on his re-election as president of the Republic of the Congo.

Noting that the two countries have a profound traditional friendship, Xi said in the message that in recent years, the two sides have continuously consolidated political mutual trust, firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and conducted fruitful cooperation in various fields.

He said that the two countries have joined hands to fulfill their roles as co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, playing a leading role in promoting the development of China-Africa relations and South-South cooperation.

Xi said that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations and stands ready to work with Sassou Nguesso to continuously enrich the connotation of the high-level community with a shared future between China and the Republic of the Congo, making greater contributions to the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.