BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi jointly announced here on Thursday the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Botswana diplomatic relations. Both sides should firmly support each other and strengthen cooperation in the fields of industry, agriculture, mining, clean energy, education and health, Xi said when meeting with Masisi, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

China and its African brothers get together again, aiming to connect the development of China, Africa and the world more closely and achieve fruitful results, he said.

Masisi spoke highly of the keynote speech delivered by Xi at the opening ceremony of the summit on Thursday.

The partnership action plans announced by President Xi in his speech to jointly advance modernization with Africa, including measures to open China wider to African countries, are exciting and encouraging for the African side, he said, expressing confidence that the vision outlined at the summit will surely be realized.

Masisi said Botswana is willing to take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to promote the development of bilateral relations.