Editor's Note:

Xi Jinping, the newly elected president of China, kicks off his first state visit to Russia Friday before heading to South Africa attending the fifth BRICS summit, which is also Xi's first trip outside the country after his election. What's the significance of Xi's visit to Russia? What role will Sino-Russian cooperation play in international issues such as Syria? Experts shared their views at a recent symposium held by the Russia International News Agency.

Significant trip

Sergey Luzyanin, first deputy director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Former Chinese president Hu Jintao also made his first overseas tour to Russia in 2003, but at that time the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting was held in Russia and hence Hu came mainly to attend.

This time, Russia is specifically the first leg of Xi's overseas tour, and he will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin before going to South Africa, which will have huge significance for the bilateral relationship as well as international geopolitics.

After the fifth generation of leadership took office, China's development has entered into a new stage. Xi will continue to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Xi's visit will add weight to the Sino-Russian relationship on the world stage and push the comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, which will undoubtedly contribute more to the regional and international security, stability and development.

Xi has said that China should emphasize mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes in developing its relationship with Russia.

This is a brand-new proposition as China used to care more about the interest of its own businesses during bilateral trade.

The new concept can not only address problems like mistrust, but more importantly, can create a healthy and cooperative environment for both sides.

Xi's visit releases a very important message that in the realm of international politics, not all things can be measured or calculated by economic interest, as he would have set his first visit to US or Brussels if economic benefit was the only concern. Xi is quite far-sighted as he understands the bilateral and global value of these ties.

Syria prominent

Wan Chengcai, a research fellow at the Center for World Affairs Studies of Xinhua News Agency

The cooperation between China and Russia on global issues is especially significant to the world in its transitional period with many uncertainties arising.

At present, the old international rules have been broken and some countries don't follow the UN Charter or even try to build their own rules.

China and Russia, two big powers in the world, hold similar positions on a majority of global issues and will play an important role in building the new international structures in the 21st century.

As the US has shifted its strategic focus to Asia-Pacific region, and in the meantime, there seems to be no end to the European debt crisis. In this new context, Chinese and Russian leaders need the opportunity to jointly assess the current world situation as well as its future direction and figure out ways to ensure its peace and stability.

Sino-Russian cooperation on the Syrian issue is not about defending any one Syrian leader but to defend the UN Charter, as others should never disturb a country from the outside.

Without the cooperation, Syria, which is now being pushed forward according to the Western constitutional model, will repeat the tragedy of Libya, and its situation will become more turbulent.

Both sides insist that the Syrian issue should be solved through negotiations and will make continuous efforts in this regard. Whatever agreement is reached within Syria will all be accepted, but external powers shouldn't be involved in overthrowing a regime by force.

There cannot be double standards in implementing the UN Charter. The world would be chaotic if other countries all followed suit.