Xi said he appreciated President Zelensky‘s repeated expression of emphasis on the development of China-Ukraine ties and cooperation with China, and thanked Ukraine for providing considerable assistance for the evacuation of Chinese citizens last year.

Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Xi, is the political foundation of the bilateral ties.

He called on both sides to focus on the future, keep on viewing and making plans for bilateral relations from a long-term perspective, and extend the tradition of mutual respect and treating each other with sincerity, so as to propel the development of the China-Ukraine strategic partnership.