Editor's note: President Xi Jinping held a series of bilateral meetings on Friday with foreign leaders who have attended the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing.

Somalia relations enjoy long history

China and Somalia elevated their relations to a strategic partnership, vowing firm support for each other over issues concerning their core interests, as President Xi Jinping met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Friday in Beijing.

Xi said there is a long history of friendly exchanges between China and Somalia, the first country in East Africa to have established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, adding that China hopes to work with Somalia to have bilateral ties yield richer outcomes.

Both China and Somalia shoulder historic missions of fully achieving their own national reunification, Xi said.

China supports Somalia in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and supports the African country's peace and development process, he said, calling on the two countries to firmly support each other on issues related to their core interests and major concerns.

China will also continue to provide assistance to the international peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, he added.

Mohamud thanked China for assisting Somalia's efforts to maintain sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for supporting its economic development.

Somalia hopes to keep deepening friendly cooperation with China, he said, adding that his country firmly adheres to the one-China principle.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, also met with Mohamud on Friday.