MAPUTO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.

Mozambique and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025, reaffirming the solidity of historical ties that date back to the national liberation struggle and that have today evolved into comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation, Chapo said.

He said that 2026, proclaimed the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, carries special significance, as it promotes the values of friendship, solidarity, and mutual understanding, which Mozambique shares and cultivates within the framework of its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China.

The year 2026 also marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and is viewed as a strategic opportunity to elevate bilateral cooperation to a new level, he added.

He reaffirmed Mozambique's adherence to the one-China principle and its firm determination to continue working side by side with China to strengthen the bonds of friendship, cooperation, and solidarity.

Mozambique looks forward to further deepening cooperation, with a view to projecting the bilateral partnership into a new stage oriented toward concrete results and inclusive and sustainable development, the president said.

In his message, Chapo wished that the Chinese New Year would bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to the Chinese people, and expressed his hope for the continued strengthening of the friendly relations between the two countries. ■