CHINESE President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election as president of Brazil, saying the long-term friendship and the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and is conducive to maintaining regional and world peace and stability and promoting common development and prosperity.

Xi attaches great importance to the development of China-Brazil relations and stands ready to work with Lula, from a strategic height and long-term perspective, to jointly plan and lift China-Brazil comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level so as to benefit to the two countries and their people.