Tunis, July 26th--Youssef Chahed, President of the Tahya Tounes Party and Prime Minister of Tunisia, met here today with Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Song conveyed Premier Li Keqiang's warm greetings. Song said that China and Tunisia enjoy a traditional friendship. No matter how the international situation may change, bilateral relations have been developing in a healthy and stable way. On the sidelines of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last September, President Xi Jinping met with Your Excellency Prime Minister, charting the course for and injected new impetus into the development of bilateral relations. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Tunisia. China is ready to take this opportunity to work with Tunisia to firmly grasp the right direction of the development of bilateral relations, strengthen cooperation under the framework of the FOCAC and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) and the Belt and Road cooperation, and elevate bilateral relations to a new level. The CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with all major Tunisian political parties in experience of party governance and state administration, and promote the all-round development of China-Tunisia relations through inter-party channels. China is ready to work with Tunisia to uphold multilateralism and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Song also introduced relevant situation of the education campaign of the CPC under the theme of “remaining true to the Party's original aspirations and keeping its mission firmly in mind”.

Chahed asked Song to convey his best wishes to Premier Li. He said Tunisia attaches great importance to developing relations with China and supports President Xi's Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Tunisia hopes to learn from China's successful development experience, board the express train of China's economic development and lift bilateral relations to a new level. Tunisia appreciates China's firm stance on upholding democracy in international relations, diversity of world civilizations and global trade liberalization and is ready to work with China to promote the establishment of a new and more balanced international order.

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