Chinese President Xi Jinping and Maltese President George Vella on Monday hailed the friendship between the two countries when they exchanged congratulations on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Xi said the two countries have always lived in friendship, helped each other and supported each other on issues involving each nation's core interests and major concerns over the past half of a century, no matter how the international landscape changed.

The bilateral relationship keeps deepening, and the two countries have been fighting side by side against the COVID-19 pandemic with effective results, which speaks volumes about the friendship between the two peoples, he said.

Xi said he stands ready to work with the Maltese president to deepen the traditional friendship, boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation to make China-Malta relations more fruitful and beneficial to the two countries and peoples.

Vella said Malta's relations with China over the past 50 years have always maintained a high level of development with fruitful results, benefiting both peoples.

He said Malta will continue to support the European Union to strengthen cooperation with China and inject new vitality into the traditionally friendly relations between Malta and China.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela also exchanged congratulatory messages for the anniversary on Monday.

Li said the Chinese side will work to take bilateral relations to a new level. Meanwhile, Abela said his country will continue to play a constructive role in the EU and commit to maintaining stability, promoting cooperation, and deepening the friendly relations between Malta and China for greater development.