Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with President of Madagascar Andry Nirina Rajoelina, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The two leaders jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Xi noted that over the past 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two sides have always adhered to sincere friendship, equal treatment, mutual benefit and win-win situations.

Especially in recent years, the two countries have continuously strengthened mutual political trust and deepened cooperation in various fields, and the people of the two countries have a greater sense of gain, Xi pointed out.

He said China supports Madagascar to independently explore the path of modernization in line with its national conditions and is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Madagascar.

Xi told Rajoelina that China stands ready to promote exchanges and expand pragmatic cooperation with Madagascar, continue to implement assistance programs on hybrid rice technology and explore and strengthen collaboration in areas such as mining, new energy, the blue economy, and disaster prevention and mitigation.

China is also willing to help Madagascar cultivate more high-caliber talent, Xi said.

China will strengthen people-to-people exchanges to continuously strengthen the foundation of friendship between the two countries, he added.

Stressing Madagascar is one of the first proponents of FOCAC and has made positive contributions to its development, Xi said China is willing to work with Madagascar to actively implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing summit and inject new momentum into the sustained and in-depth development of China-Madagascar and China-Africa relations.

Rajoelina congratulated China on successfully hosting the 2024 FOCAC summit, saying the 10 partnership actions will undoubtedly change Africa to usher in a new era of African development.

Thanks to China's help, Madagascar has upgraded its hybrid rice technology and ensured food security, he noted.

Rajoelina told Xi his country is firmly committed to being a partner of China, actively participating in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.

He expressed the hope to learn from China's successful experience and achieve national development and prosperity by deepening cooperation with China. 

Rajoelina called for making the Malagasy-Chinese relationship a model for Africa-China relations.