BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

Since China and Kenya established diplomatic ties five decades ago, the relations have seen intensive high-level exchanges, continuously deepening mutual political trust, fruitful economic and trade achievements, increasingly close people-to-people exchanges, and mutual support and coordination on international affairs, Xi said in the message.

During Kenyatta's visit to Beijing in August, the two countries announced the establishment of a comprehensive and cooperative partnership featuring equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit, Xi said, saying he has paid great attention to the bilateral relations, and China would deepen pragmatic cooperation in all areas with Kenya and promote the friendly ties to a new high.

Kenyatta agreed that the relations between Kenya and China are based on sincerity, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, and have yielded fruitful results.

He would like to further deepen and strengthen the current good relationship between the two sides, laying a solid foundation to consolidate the two peoples' friendship and achieve common prosperity.