BEIJING, March 31 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov vowed Tuesday to further propel the ties and cooperation between their countries during a phone conversation.

Xi congratulated Karimov on his reelection as the head of state of Uzbekistan, and voiced the confidence that under Karimov's leadership the Uzbek people will continue to make more progress in their country's construction, development and revitalization.

In recent years, the Sino-Uzbek relationship has developed by leaps and bounds, Xi said. The two nations have established strategic partnership, signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation, while mutual political trust and strategic coordination have continuously deepened and reciprocal cooperation in various fields has advanced vigorously, he added.

China attaches great significance to ties with Uzbekistan, firmly supports the country's choice of its own development path and its efforts to preserve national sovereignty, security, development and other core interests, said Xi.

He expressed the hope that under new circumstances both sides make concerted efforts to forge ahead, share opportunities, address challenges together, strengthen their cooperation in the framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt construction, achieve more successes in enhancing bilateral relations and better benefit the two peoples.

For his part, Karimov thanked Xi for his congratulation. "President Xi sent a congratulatory message to me on my reelection as the head of state at the first time, which reflected mutual trust and respect between the two countries and their leaders as well as the great importance that the Chinese government attaches to the Uzbek-Chinese ties," said Karimov during the talks.

He fully agreed on Xi's assessment and views about the two countries' ties, and pledged to make all efforts to boost the development of the Uzbek-Chinese relationship in his new mandate.

Karimov noted that these years President Xi has raised a series of important initiatives and suggestions with deep thoughts on international and regional affairs as well as global peace and development, which have shown the globe China's growing influence in world affairs.

Uzbekistan will expand the collaboration with China in international and regional affairs, he said.