MOSCOW -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Friday that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty, and opposing foreign interference and blockade.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The Chinese side also supports Cuba's efforts to promote economic and social development, said Xi, adding that the two sides, both as important members of the Global South, should enhance coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the BRICS and the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, oppose power politics and unilateral bullying, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Xi recalled that he has met with Diaz-Canel on many occasions in recent years, saying that they have jointly led China-Cuba relations into a new stage featuring deeper political mutual trust, closer strategic coordination and more solid popular support.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cuba, Xi said, adding that China is willing to further consolidate the ironclad friendship with Cuba, build a closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, and set an example of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among developing countries.

Xi called on both sides to promote steady progress in exchanges at all levels and cooperation in various fields, and ensure that high-level political mutual trust always remains a distinct feature of relations between the two ruling parties and the two countries.

For his part, Diaz-Canel said Cuba and China are close friends and brothers, adding that his country appreciates China's long-term strong support for Cuba's economic and social development.

The Cuban side, he said, firmly abides by the one-China principle, and is ready to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance friendly people-to-people exchanges, promote coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and deepen the efforts of the building of a community with a shared future, so as to promote a greater development of bilateral relations.

He also said that Cuba supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, and is willing to work with China to jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and to safeguard the common interests of the international community.