Xi congratulates King Haakon VIII of Norway on accession to throne

BEIJING, Sept. 2 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to Haakon VIII on his accession to the throne as King of Norway.

Xi said that although China and Norway are geographically distant, the two countries enjoy a long-standing friendship. Norway was among the first European countries to recognize the People's Republic of China and establish diplomatic relations with it, he said.

Over the past 72 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, with the active support and promotion of the Norwegian royal family, bilateral relations have made significant progress, and cooperation in various fields has continued to expand, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, Xi said.

The Chinese president said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Norway relations and is ready to work with King Haakon VIII to write a new chapter in the friendly exchanges between the two countries.