China, Russia vow to strengthen strategic ties

SOCHI, Russia -- Russian President Vladimir Putin met visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi here on Friday, with both sides pledging to deepen their strategic ties.

Putin asked Yang to conveyed greetings to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, noting that he and Xi had agreed to lift the Russia-China relationship to a new level.

Russia has the will and confidence to work with China to fully implement bilateral relations development plans, keep close contact at top levels, and deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen coordination on international affairs, and safeguard global and regional peace and stability, he added.

"I'm eagerly expecting President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia next month for the Leaders' Summit of the Group of Twenty to be held in St. Petersburg and a meeting with him," Putin said, adding that they will exchange views on major international and regional issues and further push forward major programs of cooperation.

The two countries will continue joint efforts and contribute to a successful summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which is to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, so as to safeguard regional security and stability, and promote common development among SCO member states, Putin said.

Yang hailed Xi's state visit to Russia in March, during which the two heads of state set layout of bilateral ties.

The two sides have been actively fulfilling consensus reached by the two leaders as cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, energy, people-to-people exchanges and at local level reached major achievements, Yang said.

China-Russia relationship has been developing in an all-round way, he added.

China attaches great importance to President Xi's meeting with Putin and fully supports Russia to hold a successful summit, Yang said.

The bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination will step forward constantly under the guidance of the two leaders, he added.