Chinese president meets Russian federation council speaker on ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko on Friday, pledging to improve bilateral relations.

Xi said China and Russia enjoy a high-level of mutual political trust and engage in mutually beneficial cooperation.

The comprehensive strategic partnership of collaboration between the two countries has helped shape a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as its core, he said.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, as well as the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a strategic partnership of collaboration between the two countries.

Xi met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday in Hangzhou on the sidelines of the G20 summit, the third meeting between the two leaders this year.

Stressing that he and Putin reached new consensus on ties during the meeting, Xi called on both countries to work together to convert the political advantages into more substantial results, which would benefit the two countries and their people.

Regarding parliamentary relations, Xi spoke highly of the close exchanges between China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation in recent years.

He encouraged both sides to continue to share governance, legislation and oversight experience as this would help to consolidate political and strategic mutual trust and support bilateral relations.

Matviyenko spoke highly of the G20 summit in Hangzhou. She said Russia is willing to work with China to implement the consensus reached by two presidents, adding that the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation hopes to improve relations with China's NPC.

Matviyenko is on a three-day visit to China, from Wednesday, at the invitation of Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

Later on Friday, Zhang and Matviyenko held talks on exchanges between the two countries' legislatures.

Zhang called on both sides to enhance cooperation in various fields, including under multilateral frameworks, to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.

Following the talks, Zhang was presented the medal "Order of Friendship" by Matviyenko, on behalf of President Putin, in recognition of his contribution to China-Russia ties.