Chinese, Russian presidents meet ahead of SCO summit(2)

For his part, Putin said bilateral ties currently maintain sound momentum, with cooperation in various fields progressing smoothly in accordance with the consensuses and agreements the two sides have reached.

Expressing his satisfaction with the current economic and trade cooperation, Putin said he hopes that the two sides will continue to push forward major cooperation projects in such fields as oil and gas, nuclear energy, aviation, finance and infrastructure construction.

The China-Russia West Route natural gas pipeline project is mutually beneficial, said the Russian leader, adding that he attaches great importance to the project and its construction should be accelerated.

Noting that the current international and regional circumstances are unstable with increasing uncertainties, Putin suggested that China and Russia enhance coordination on international and regional affairs.

On the upcoming Dushanbe summit, the two leaders agreed that under the current situation, SCO members should strengthen unity, mutual trust and cooperation, and promote the simultaneous advancement of security and economy.

Also, the two leaders maintained that SCO countries should firmly crack down on the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and vigorously enhance practical cooperation in various fields, so as to make the SCO a reliable guarantee for the stability and development of its members.

Meanwhile, the two sides pledged to strengthen communication and coordination, increase input, and steer the development of the SCO forward in line with the common interests of the countries in the region.

China, Xi said, supports Russia taking over the rotating SCO presidency next year and hosting the 2015 SCO summit in the southwestern city of Ufa.

On the Ukraine crisis, Xi called on Ukraine to launch inclusive dialogues at an early date so as to reach a comprehensive political settlement of the crisis in the East European country.

China stands for resolving the Ukraine crisis through political means, said Xi, stressing that relevant parties should "trace to the source" and solve the crisis at its root.

For his part, Putin briefed Xi on Russia's views and stances, and said Russia attaches importance to and appreciates China's stances and proposals on the Ukraine issue and is willing to maintain communication with China.

A cease-fire deal between Ukraine's government and insurgent leadership inked last week in Belarus is generally taking hold in Ukraine's restive east. The truce is expected to pave the way for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis and a permanent end to the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine.

Clashes between Ukrainian government troops and independence-seeking militias, which started in mid-April, have claimed about 3,000 lives, with hundreds of thousands of others displaced.

The China-Russia summit is the fourth meeting between Xi and Putin so far this year. Xi held talks with Putin in February before the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, and then in May during the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Shanghai.

The two presidents met again in July in Brazil ahead of a summit of the emerging-market bloc of BRICS, which groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Xi has held talks or met with Putin for nine times since he assumed the office of Chinese presidency in March 2013, which testifies to the high level and distinctiveness of China-Russia relations.

Both Xi and Putin will attend the 14th summit of the SCO slated for Thursday and Friday in the Tajik capital.

The SCO comprises China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and has Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers, and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners.