BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping received the credentials of ten new ambassadors to China on Monday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
The ambassadors are Jan Adams from Australia, Paul Andrew Gomez from the Bahamas, Bedrich Kopecky from the Czech Republic, Vijay Gokhale from India, Vandy Bouthasavong from Laos, Maris Selga from Latvia, John Aquilina from Malta, Aureliu Ciocoi from Moldova, Ronald Keller from the Netherlands and Bendito dos Santos Freitas from Timor-Leste.
Xi welcomed the ambassadors to their posts and asked them to convey his greetings to the leaders and people of their countries.
Hailing the good relationships between China and the countries, Xi said China attaches great importance to the ties, will continue to consolidate traditional friendships, expand reciprocal cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance coordination in multilateral organizations with the countries.
The Chinese government will support the ambassadors' work, Xi said, calling on them to make contributions to the development of bilateral ties and their cooperation in multiple areas.
The ambassadors conveyed greetings from their state leaders to Xi and the Chinese people, and hailed China's development achievements as well as its important role in international affairs.
The ambassadors vowed to contribute to stronger ties between their countries and China during their tenures.
On the same day, Xi also met with Rashid Alimov, new secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.