DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- China and Tanzania are friends with a shared future, and the friendship forged and nurtured by leaders of the older generation remains the most valuable spiritual asset of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Hassan asked Wang to convey her New Year greetings and best wishes to Chinese President Xi Jinping. She thanked China for its strong support for Tanzania's development under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The Tanzanian side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, Hassan said, adding that Tanzania is ready to align its development plans with China's, deepen practical cooperation, advance the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway and the building of a regional prosperity belt, strengthen inter-party exchanges, expand people-to-people interactions, and promote economic growth so as to bring benefits to the two peoples.

Hassan spoke highly of the four major global initiatives proposed by Xi, saying that Tanzania stands ready to enhance multilateral coordination with China and jointly promote a more just and equitable global governance system.

The Chinese foreign minister conveyed Xi's cordial greetings to Hassan, saying that China and Tanzania are friends with a shared future. The friendship between the two countries was forged and nurtured by leaders of the older generation, has withstood the test of changing international circumstances, and remains a most valuable spiritual asset, he said.

The two sides should jointly carry forward this friendship and continue to enrich it with new connotations of the times, Wang said, adding that China attaches great importance to relations between the two parties and the two countries.

China stands ready to work with Tanzania to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen exchanges on governance experience, deepen practical cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and push forward the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, Wang said.

Wang said China appreciates Tanzania's firm commitment to the one-China principle and supports Tanzania in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national dignity, as well as pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions.

The two sides should actively promote high-quality cooperation and turn the revitalized Tanzania-Zambia Railway into an engine for regional development, Wang said.

China supports Tanzania in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs and stands ready to work with Tanzania and other developing countries to be a force for peace, stability and progress in the world, Wang added.