President Xi Jinping sent a message to David Tiva Kapu on Monday, congratulating him on taking office as governor general of the Solomon Islands.

Noting that this year marks the fifth anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Pacific island country, Xi said that over the past five years, the two countries have continuously deepened their political mutual trust, obtained fruitful outcomes in their pragmatic cooperation and firmly supported each other on issues related to their core interests and major concerns, which have benefited peoples of both nations.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral ties, and hopes to work with Kapu to promote the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era to higher levels, in order to bring more benefits to the people of both countries.

China and the Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations in 2019, and in July last year, the two sides established a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development for a new era.

In 2023, bilateral trade grew 9.6 percent year-on-year to $536 million, according to the General Administration of Customs.