Chinas new president ends visit to Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up his state visit to Russia, the first foreign destination after he took office this month.

During his Russia visit, which started Friday, Xi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin vowed to enhance their countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperation, reports Xinhua.

Xi stressed that China and Russia were each other’s major and most important strategic cooperative partner, and both accord priority to deepening their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on their overall diplomatic agenda and in their foreign policy.

In face of the “profoundly complex” international situation and the still grave global economic environment, the two sides should work together more closely, said the Chinese president.

Putin said the two countries held similar views on many major issues and enjoyed extensive common interests and bright cooperation prospects.

As regards their countries’ practical cooperation, the two leaders held in-depth discussions and agreed that the time and conditions were ripe for the two sides to carry out large-scale economic cooperation.

The two sides agreed to make full use of various cooperation mechanisms, and invigorate collaboration on large joint projects of strategic significance.

In addition, the two sides promised to cooperate more closely on major global and regional issues under such frameworks as the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS.

The two sides also ratified the 2013-16 implementation guidelines of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation.

From Russia, Xi will continue his first overseas trip as Chinese president to Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of the Congo.

In South Africa, Xi will attend the fifth BRICS summit in the port city of Durban March 26-27, the first to be held on the African continent.

Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, collectively known under their acronym BRICS, will also have a retreat with African regional leaders.

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