BEIJING, Jan. 31 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory message to his new Zambian counterpart, Edgar Lungu, on the latter's inauguration as head of state of the southern African country.

The Chinese and Zambian peoples enjoy profound traditional friendship, and bilateral win-win cooperation in various fields has borne rich fruit, Xi said in the Jan. 26 message.

China, Xi added, attaches great importance to developing relations with Zambia, and stands ready to work with Zambia to lift their friendly and cooperative relationship to higher levels, so as to bring more benefits to both peoples.

Lungu was sworn in as Zambia's sixth president on Jan. 25.