Photo: VCG

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that he stands ready to maintain close contact with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in various forms in a bid to lead their countries towards deeper comprehensive strategic coordination and practical cooperation in various fields.

Xi made the remarks when exchanging New Year congratulations with Putin, adding that in doing so, greater benefits will be brought to the two peoples and more positive energy injected into the turbulent and changing world.

In his message, Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Putin and the Russian people.

Workers from China and Russia shake hands after the two ends of the Blagoveshchensk-Heihe highway bridge were joined together on May 31, 2019.Photo:Xinhua

Noting that 2020 is an extraordinary year, Xi said the Chinese and Russian people have helped each other and worked together in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a new chapter of good-neighborliness and friendship between the two countries.

In 2020, Xi said, the two sides launched the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation program, promoted the steady development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation under the condition of regular COVID-19 prevention and control, and achieved new progress in aligning the construction of the Belt and Road with the Eurasian Economic Union.

China and Russia also jointly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, demonstrating their firm determination to safeguard international fairness and justice, and making new contributions to building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi added.

Xi said he and Putin in the past year have had several telephone conversations, jointly attended a series of multilateral summits via video link, had in-depth exchange of views on China-Russia relations and major international and regional issues, and reached new and important consensus, which the Chinese president speaks highly of.

Chinese medical experts pose for a photo before boarding a plane at an airport in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, April 11, 2020.Photo:Xinhua

Noting that the upcoming year is of special significance to bilateral relations, Xi said the two sides, centering on the theme of celebrating the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, will vigorously promote the idea of a lasting friendship between the two countries, and envisage and enrich the development of China-Russia relations in the new era.

For his part, Putin extended his sincere New Year greetings to Xi, and wished the Chinese people happiness and good health.

In the past year, the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has been rapidly developing, Putin said, adding that the governments, legislatures and various departments of the two countries have maintained close communication.

Photo taken on April 2, 2020 shows Chinese government's humanitarian aid at the Chkalovsky military airport in Moscow region, Russia.Photo:Xinhua

The two countries, he noted, have also smoothly launched the large-scale program of the Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation and maintained high-level development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the two sides have maintained close coordination and cooperation to jointly promote the settlement of regional and international hotspot issues, and work together within the framework of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, Putin said.

Noting that the next year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, Putin said he believes that the two sides will continue to uphold the spirit of the treaty and jointly achieve fresh outcomes in Russia-China relations.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also exchanged New Year greetings.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 17, 2020 shows a China-Europe freight train fully loaded with auto parts, mechanical facilities and garments bound for Moscow of Russia and Minsk of Belarus waiting for departure at Xiangtang railway port in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province. Photo:Xinhua

In his message, Li said that China and Russia have made great efforts to overcome the impact of the pandemic and external challenges over the past year, and maintained the positive momentum in the development of bilateral cooperation in various fields.

The two countries also successfully held the 25th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian prime ministers and reached many important consensus, Li said.

Li said he is ready to further strengthen communication and cooperation with Mishustin, give full play to the coordinating role of the regular meeting mechanism with his Russian counterpart and promote a sustainable, sound and stable development of practical bilateral cooperation.

For his part, Mishustin said he believes that the regular meeting mechanism will further help implement the goals and tasks set by the two sides and push the bilateral cooperation to a higher level in the new year.

A crane loads containers at the Manzhouli Railway Station in Manzhouli, a land port on the China-Russia border, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 13, 2020.Photo:Xinhua