Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, June 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

QINGDAO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- China and Tajikistan should continue helping and supporting each other to cope with challenges and achieve common development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon, who is in the coastal Chinese city of Qingdao to attend the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

As the two countries are at a critical stage of national development and rejuvenation, Xi said, China and Tajikistan should deepen bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to benefit the two peoples more widely.

Joint contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative has become a focus of bilateral cooperation, Xi said, stressing that the two sides should promote balanced development of trade, deepen cooperation in finance and investment, expand partnership in connectivity, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.

China and Tajikistan should continuously fight against "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, and organized cross-border crime, he said.

China supports Tajikistan to take presidency of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and is willing to help Tajikistan prepare for the event, Xi added.

Rahmon said Tajikistan firmly adheres to one-China policy and is committed to fighting against the three evil forces unswervingly, promoting bilateral comprehensive cooperation and improving coordination in managing regional affairs.

Tajikistan is willing to align the country's development strategy for the period up to 2030 with the Belt and Road Initiative, and expand cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, science and technology and other fields, he added.

Rahmon agreed that the more complicated the international situation is, the more necessary it is for the SCO to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, namely, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.