BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday congratulated his Nepalese counterpart, Sher Bahadur Deuba, on Nepal's National Day.

In a congratulatory message, Li said China and Nepal are friends and partners that sincerely help each other.

In the past two years, Nepal has achieved rapid economic growth and progress in the implementation of its new constitution, and China is glad to see that, Li said.

China is willing to deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields with Nepal within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative to lift bilateral ties to a new level, Li added.