Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) receives the Order of the Crown, Tajikistan's highest decoration, from Tajik President Emomali Rahmon during a ceremony in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, June 15, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping received the Order of the Crown, Tajikistan's highest decoration, from Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe on Saturday.

During the ceremony held at the presidential palace, Rahmon spoke highly of Xi's positive contributions to the development of Tajikistan-China relations, saying he is ready to work together with Xi to guide bilateral relations toward greater achievements.

Noting that the Order of the Crown embodies the profound friendship the people of Tajikistan have kept with the people of China, Xi said he attaches great significance to the decoration.

"I am willing to join hands with President Rahmon in lifting China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership to higher levels and better serving the two peoples," Xi said.

Xi arrived here Friday for the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and a state visit to Tajikistan.

Tajikistan is the second leg of Xi's two-country Central Asia trip, which also took him to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit and the 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.