Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed (R) meets with Chinese Ambassador Wang Wenbin in Tunis, Tunisia, July 9, 2019. Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed highly praised China's support for Tunisia and hoped that China would increase its participation in the economic construction in Tunisia during his meeting with Chinese Ambassador in Tunisia Wang Wenbin on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Adele Ezzine)

TUNIS, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed on Tuesday highly praised China's support for Tunisia and hoped that China would increase its participation in the economic construction in Tunisia.

Chahed made the remarks during his meeting with Chinese Ambassador in Tunisia Wang Wenbin on Tuesday.

Chahed expressed his gratitude to Chinese government for its support and assistance to Tunisia, adding that relations between the two countries have been friendly for a long time and have witnessed development in recent years.

He expressed his hope that China can actively participate in projects such as the construction of highways, railways, bridges and other infrastructure as well as the development of economic zones in Tunisia.

He praised China's willingness to participate in the economic construction of Tunisia under the framework of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

He confirmed that his country will facilitate the implementation of the cooperation projects between the two countries, adding that the bilateral relations will develop in depth with the joint efforts of both sides.

In July 2018, China and Tunisia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.