Russian acting President, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and vice-chairman of the Chinese Central Military Council, Defense Minister Chi Haotian held meeting in Putin's Kremlin office Tuesday, emphasizing further deepening and development of strategic partnership of cooperation between the two nations.

An admirable foundation has been laid for the broadening of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the 21st century, Putin said at the beginning of the meeting.

First Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin accomplished a lot "for the revival and development" of bilateral ties, "an excellent" base was prepared said Putin.

This will enhance a resolution of border, economic, cultural and military-technical issues, he said.

Putin recalled his meetings with Chinese President Jiang Zemin last fall. He asked Chi Haotian to convey his best regards to President Jiang Zemin and thanked him for the invitation to visit China.

Chinese minister expressed support for Russia's current military operation in Chechnya and voiced a position against separatism and extremism that was identical with the Russian position.

Deputy chief of the Kremlin staff Sergei Prikhodko told reporters after the meeting that Putin said a trip to China will be one of his first foreign visits if he is elected president.

Putin and Chi Haotian also discussed joint international efforts, including work on building a multi-polar world.

Putin promised that Russia would follow decisions made at Russian-Chinese summits, stick to "One-China" policy and support China's efforts to achieve the country's reunification." Russian-Chinese strategic cooperation is deep, effective and is not prone to any fluctuations," Prikhodko said.

Putin and Chi Haotian not only discussed the Russian-Chinese weapons trade but also went through all areas of cooperation between the two states.

The Chinese ambassador in Russia Wu Tao, the political commissar of the strategic rocket force of the Chinese army Sui Mingtai, Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, deputy head of Russian presidential staff Sergei Prikhodko, Security Council Secretary Sergei Ivanov and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin attended the meeting. (Xinhua)