Beijing, Jan 27 (IANS): Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Francois Hollande Monday pledged to work together to deepen bilateral relations.

The two leaders exchanged congratulatory messages to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, Xinhua reported.

On Jan 27, 1964, Chinese leader Mao Zedong and French president Charles de Gaulle took the historic decision to establish diplomatic relations, which heralded a new era in the China-Europe relations, Xi said.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and France are countries with independent spirit as well as major forces in promoting world multi-polarisation, economic globalisation and the democratisation of international relations, Xi added.

Hollande said France was the first major western country to establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level with China, and General de Gaulle made the great decision because the two countries shared an unbending spirit of independence.

China's unprecedented development over the past decades showed that his decision was quite visionary and far-sighted, Hollande added.