Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno (R, Front) shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, during their meeting in N'Djamena, Chad, on Jan. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Wednesday to discuss advancing bilateral cooperation.

Mahamat asked Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, to convey his sincere greetings and respect to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xi is a visionary leader, steering China toward remarkable economic achievements and a pivotal role on the global stage, Mahamat said. He congratulated China on successfully hosting the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing last year, which he said has significantly advanced China-Africa relations.

China's cooperation with Africa has always been based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, yielding fruitful results, he said. He also expressed gratitude to China for its enduring support for Africa's development, particularly Chad's progress.

China is Chad's important strategic partner and a reliable friend, with their bilateral relations serving as a model of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Mahamat said.

Chad firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard its territorial integrity and achieve national unity while opposing interference in its internal affairs, he stressed.

China is committed to upholding global fairness and justice, playing a constructive role in addressing key international issues, the Chadian president said, noting that Chad is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to uphold shared positions and protect common interests.

For his part, Wang conveyed Xi's warm greetings to Mahamat.

Wang said that after Mahamat took office, his first visit outside the region was to China to attend the FOCAC Beijing Summit, with the visit concluding successfully and contributing to the summit's achievements. During the visit to China, the two heads of state jointly elevated the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership, ushering in a new phase of cooperation between the two countries.

China has always advocated that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, are equal, Wang said, noting that China opposes all forms of hegemony, bullying, and unilateralism. He expressed China's willingness to strengthen strategic coordination with Chad and continue to provide steadfast mutual support.

China appreciates Chad's efforts in staying independent and self-reliant, and pursuing development and revitalization that suits its national conditions and is ready to work with Chad to actively implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, Wang said.

China seeks to deepen exchanges on governance experience, solidify political trust through shared values, and comprehensively expand mutually beneficial cooperation to support Chad's development and revitalization and jointly build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

During the meeting, Mahamat expressed sincere condolences to the Chinese government and people over the earthquake in China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

On the same day, Wang also met with Chadian Prime Minister Allamaye Halina and held talks with Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah.