Chinese vice-premier, Russian State Duma discuss relations

Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang met with the chairman of Russia's State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin, in Moscow Friday to discuss further development of relations between their two countries.

Li said China and Russia had lifted their relations to the level of comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership, which was of significance in boosting world multi-polarization, promoting democratization of international relations, and pushing the world in a more rational and balanced direction.

As friendly neighbors, the two countries conducted close cooperation based on equality, mutual trust, and mutual benefit in a bid to achieve common prosperity, Li said.

He said both sides shared common goals in promoting their countries' development, respecting each other's achievements and regarding each other's development as an important opportunity.

China, Li said, would join hands with Russia to further enrich the comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership by tapping potential in economic and trade areas and cementing cooperation in major projects as well as regional cooperation.

Exchanges between the countries' legislative bodies and their cooperative mechanism had played a significant role in promoting China-Russia relations and cooperation in all respects, Li said.

He believed that, under the leadership of the two countries' top legislators, the China-Russia Legislative Cooperation Committee would play a more active role in facilitating the development of relations of comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership.

Naryshkin said China-Russia relations had maintained good momentum in recent years, adding Li's visit would inject new impetus into bilateral relations.

People from various walks of life in Russia welcomed a friendly relationship with China, he said, adding that all parties in the State Duma, or lower house of parliament, supported the comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership as well.

Naryshkin said both Chinese and Russian legislative bodies were playing an increasingly important role in politics and he called on the two sides to strengthen the regular exchange mechanism to inject more vigor into the bilateral relationship.

Li arrived here Thursday for an official visit at the invitation of the Russian government.

Li will also visit Hungary, Belgium and the European Union headquarters in Brussels.