BEIJING — President Xi Jinping on March 17 sent a video message to an event held by Bangladesh in commemoration of the centenary of its founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth, also in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the country's independence.

On behalf of the Chinese government and Chinese people, Xi extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the Bangladeshi government and people.

Stressing that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman founded the People's Republic of Bangladesh 50 years ago, Xi said Rahman, an old friend and a good friend of the Chinese people, visited China twice and developed friendship with Chinese leaders of the older generations.

Xi said the two sides should keep in mind contributions made to the bilateral relations by leaders of the older generations and carry forward bilateral friendship.

Since its independence, Bangladesh has made remarkable achievements in national construction, Xi said, adding China is glad about that as a friendly neighbor.

China and Bangladesh have been friendly neighboring countries since ancient times, and the friendship spanning over a thousand years was witnessed by the Silk Road, Xi said. Over the last 46 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two sides have always treated each other with mutual respect and on an equal footing, offered mutual support and worked hand in hand, Xi added.

As China and Bangladesh are both at a crucial stage of national development, Xi said the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation and the dream of Sonar (golden) Bangla are interconnected, and the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries has delivered tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have been making joint efforts to overcome the difficulties and rendering mutual help, Xi said. Major projects in Bangladesh Chinese enterprises participated in have made groundbreaking progress, and the treatment of zero tariff for 97 percent of the taxable items imported from Bangladesh into China has officially taken effect, Xi added.

Stressing that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Bangladesh ties, Xi expressed the hope to work with Bangladesh to better align the two countries' development strategies and jointly promote the construction of the Belt and Road, so as to take the China-Bangladesh strategic partnership of cooperation to new heights.