Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar leaders attended a state event on Friday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the launching of the China-Myanmar Year of Culture and Tourism.

Myanmar President U Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, First Vice President U Myint Swe, Second Vice President U Henry Van Thio, and all cabinet members attended the celebrating events at the Myanmar International Convention Centre 2 in Nay Pyi Taw.

Myanmar President U Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the event.

Myanmar and China share a long history of friendly exchanges and the two peoples are like brothers and sisters, President U Win Myint said in his address, stressing that Myanmar will continue to work to deepen Myanmar-China cooperation in various fields.

Meanwhile, Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi called Xi's state visit to Myanmar at the beginning of the year as an important step in the two countries' efforts in building a community with a shared future.

She said in her address that Myanmar governments have been attaching great importance to developing friendly relations with China, adding that Myanmar actively supports and participates in the Belt and Road Initiative and looks forward to more fruitful results in building the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor.

She also expressed hopes of deepening cultural exchanges between the two countries and expanding the social foundation of friendship.

President Xi delivered a speech at the event. In his speech, Xi said he's truly delighted to witness the launch of celebrations, which is an important historical mark in the course of China-Myanmar friendly exchanges.

The friendship between the two countries and their people, which have lasted for thousands of years, is the driving force and source of the development of bilateral relations, he said in his speech, adding that through the celebrations, the two sides should promote mutual learning of civilizations and close cultural exchanges, and build a solid foundation for friendship between the two countries.

"President U Win Myint and I have agreed that my visit shall mark the start of our joint endeavor to build a China-Myanmar community with a shared future," Xi said.

"This important political consensus speaks volumes about the special bond between China and Myanmar--a bond as close as between lips and teeth," he said. "It gives vivid expression to the fraternal friendship between our peoples who have supported each other through thick and thin, and draws up a new and overarching blueprint for future growth of bilateral ties."

After the speech, Chinese President Xi and Myanmar President U Win Myint jointly pressed a button to officially launch the China-Myanmar Year of Culture and Tourism.

The leaders of the two countries also watched performances presented by Chinese and Myanmar artists.

Before the ceremony, President Xi and Myanmar leaders visited a photo exhibition celebrating the 70th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties, which recorded the touching moments in the exchanges between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations.