BEIJING, Nov. 19 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the sixth China-South Asia Exposition, which opened Saturday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

As friendly neighbors and partners in development, China and the South Asian countries are a community with a shared future, Xi said in the letter.

In recent years, the two sides have deepened practical cooperation in all aspects, and the trade and economic exchanges maintained a sound momentum, bringing benefits to people of all countries, Xi noted.

He stressed that China is willing to work with all countries, with the China-South Asia Exposition being a platform, to foster consensus on enhancing solidarity and cooperation and pursuing development, create more growth drivers in cooperation, advance the high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation and implement the Global Development Initiative, so as to build a more prosperous and brighter future together, Xi said.

Themed "New Opportunities for New Development," the exposition is co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the people's government of Yunnan Province.