BEIJING, March 4 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a congratulatory message to Bola Tinubu on his election as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In the message, Xi noted that Nigeria is an important strategic partner of China in Africa, adding that the development of bilateral relations has enjoyed a sound momentum in recent years, with practical cooperation in various fields yielding fruitful results.

The two countries have supported each other on issues relating to their core interests and major concerns, and have closely coordinated in international and regional affairs, he said.

Xi also said that he highly regards the development of China-Nigeria relations and stands ready to work with Tinubu to take the strategic partnership between the two countries to new heights.