China and Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday announced the elevation of their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
The announcement was made during a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Guinea-Bissau’s counterpart Umaro Sissoco Embalo in Beijing.
Embalo arrived in China on a five-day state visit on Tuesday.
The national anthem of Guinea- Bissau, This Is Our Beloved Country, was played during the welcome ceremony.
It was written by Guinea-Bissau’s founding father Amilcar Cabral and composed by Chinese composer Xiao He.
“It is a great story in the history of the bilateral relations, and a testament to the profound friendship between the two peoples,” Xi said.