BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Thursday exchanged congratulations on the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Austria relations have braved winds and rains, and maintained sound and steady development, Xi said in his message.

He recalled that in 2018, he and Van der Bellen established the China-Austria friendly strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.

Last May, a new pair of "panda ambassadors" made their public debut in the Austrian capital of Vienna, further deepening the friendship between the two peoples, he added.

In a fluid and turbulent world, Xi said that China and Austria, both as promoters of world peace, supporters of multilateralism and defenders of free trade, should jointly uphold mutual respect, trust, openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation.

Xi also said that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral ties and stands ready to work with Van der Bellen to take the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to elevate China-Austria relations to a new level and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

For his part, Van der Bellen noted that the elevation of bilateral ties during his state visit to China in 2018 marks a significant milestone.

Over the past 55 years, bilateral cooperation has been deepening, with frequent exchanges in such fields as culture, education, scientific research and economy, steadily consolidating the foundation of bilateral friendship, he said.

At a time when the world becomes volatile and unstable, it is particularly important for Austria and China to maintain extensive exchanges, jointly safeguard stability and enhance mutual understanding, Van der Bellen said.

He expressed the hope that the two sides will work together to push for further progress in bilateral relations and elevate the relationship to a higher level.