China and Russia, based on their experience and achievements over the past 70 years, have confidence and capability to bring bilateral relations to a new era of greater development at a higher level, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian media on Tuesday.
The relationship between China and Russia is at its best in history and is presented with new opportunities for further development, Xi said in a joint interview with TASS Russian News Agency and Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper ahead of his state visit to Russia.
After seven decades of development, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is stronger than ever before, Xi said, adding the two countries are enjoying solid political mutual trust and always support each other on issues of each other's core interests and major concerns.
China and Russia have conducted substantive, wide-ranging and all-dimensional cooperation of strategic significance, and enjoyed close and effective coordination and collaboration in international affairs, thus contributing tremendous positive energy to a complex and fast-changing world, Xi added.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Russia, which "are standing at a new starting point and facing new opportunities for growth," Xi said.
The Chinese president called on the two countries to enhance support for each other, seek greater synergy between their development strategies, expand areas of cooperation, and play a more constructive role in international affairs.
Xi highlighted economic and trade cooperation between China and Russia, saying that it has set a prime example of mutually beneficial economic engagement.
In 2018, two-way trade between China and Russia hit a record high of over 100 billion U.S. dollars. Major cooperation projects have been steadily carried out in such areas as energy, transportation, agriculture, aviation and space.
Xi noted that in the past six years since he was elected as the Chinese president, he had visited Russia for seven times and met with President Vladimir Putin for almost 30 times on various occasions.
Underlining that the friendship between Putin and him is built on a high degree of mutual trust, Xi said they treat each other with respect, candor, understanding and trust, and share similar views on the international landscape and approaches to national governance.
"Most importantly, we share a high degree of consensus on the strategic significance of the China-Russia relationship and therefore the same resolve and desire to deepen and sustain its growth," Xi added.
