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BEIJING, June 16-- China and Tajikistan should coordinate efforts to contain the COVID-19 epidemic and promote bilateral trade, and be open to new ideas to ensure the implementation of key projects in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon on Tuesday. Xi stressed that China-Tajikistan relations have reached a new historical starting point. The two countries should plan for their cooperation in the "post COVID-19 era" as early as possible in key areas such as economy and trade, investment, energy, interconnectivity and agriculture so as to push for new progress in bilateral relations, Xi said. True friendship reveals itself in time of trouble, Xi said, recalling that when China was at a difficult phase in response to COVID-19, the Tajik government and people from all walks of life supported China's anti-epidemic fight in various forms. After COVID-19 broke out in Tajikistan, China provided assistance to the Tajik side to the best of its ability, Xi said. Medical experts from both sides exchanged experience via video-link and a joint working group of Chinese medical experts visited many places across Tajikistan to actively carry out their work, which demonstrated an integral part of the notion of China-Tajikistan development community and security community, he said. China stands ready to continue to provide support and assistance to brotherly Tajikistan, Xi said. | 
