China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with Richard Ravalomanana, president of the Senate of Madagascar, in Beijing on Tuesday.
Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, hailed the time-honored and enduring friendship between the two countries. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Andry Nirina Rajoelina, bilateral relations have seen strong growth, he said.
He said that China is ready to work with Madagascar to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, pushing forward the friendly cooperation between the countries and contributing to building all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Zhao expressed hopes that the legislative bodies of both countries will strengthen exchanges and cooperation to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Madagascar.
For his part, Ravalomanana said that Madagascar and China enjoy a long-standing and profound friendship built on mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
The close exchanges between the two heads of state have charted the course for the future development of Madagascar-China relations, Ravalomanana said.
The Senate of Madagascar is ready to work with China to enhance interactions between their legislative bodies and actively promote cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, and local development, he said.
Top Chinese legislator meets president of Madagascar's Senate
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Sunday that Tehran would view the United States and Israel's military bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" should Washington take military action against Iran.
At a parliamentary session convened to review an emergency proposal on assembly regulations, Qalibaf emphasized that, at this highly sensitive juncture, Iran must accurately and thoroughly identify the schemes of its adversaries.
Qalibaf said that Iran is currently confronting Israel and the United States simultaneously on four fronts: economic, cognitive, military, and counterterrorism. Of them, the economic warfare and the cognitive and psychological warfare began many years ago and have persisted to this day, growing increasingly complex and intense in recent years.
The remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran, taking advantage of its nationwide unrest.
Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship. Iranian authorities have acknowledged the demonstrations and voiced willingness to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism.
Amid the ongoing protests, deadly clashes have been reported lately between police and what the government described as "rioters." However, no official death toll has been released.
Also on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will address the country's economic situation and political environment in a televised interview later that day.
Iran swears to counterattack if attacked
