President Xi Jinping has sent his congratulations to the newly elected president of East Timor, Francisco Guterres, the Xinhua news agency reports.

“I attach great importance to the China-East Timor relations and am willing to work with you to cement the traditional friendship and deepen pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, so as to lift the China-East Timor comprehensive cooperative partnership… to a new level,” Mr Xi wrote in his message.

The Mainland and East Timor have set a good example of a relationship based on equality and mutual benefit, Mr Xi added.

Mr Guterres is a former guerrilla fighter and President of the Timorese parliament. He was elected the president of the archipelago last month and his inauguration takes place on May 20.