President calls for enhanced govt exchanges

Development of relations with Moscow meets interests of both peoples, he says

President Xi Jinping called on the Chinese and Russian governments to maintain regular exchanges and work to make new progress in bilateral cooperation, saying that the healthy and steady development of China-Russia ties meets the fundamental interests of people in both countries.

Xi, who is on a three-day state visit to Russia, made the remarks when meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow on Tuesday.

Xi said China had successfully held the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last year and the annual sessions in March of its top legislative and political advisory bodies, which elected new leaders of China's State institutions.

The CPC, the nation and the Chinese people are now more united than ever in advancing the Chinese path to modernization, he said.

The new Chinese government attaches importance to developing China-Russia relations and is ready to realize the new goals set for cooperation through regular meetings between the Chinese premier and the Russian prime minister and other channels for institutionalized communication, he said.

Xi invited Mishustin to visit China and said he has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit China for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this year.

Faced with a complex external environment, the two countries' all-around practical cooperation has maintained good momentum with energy cooperation deepening and major strategic projects moving forward, Xi said.

Xi called for efforts from both sides to raise both the quality and quantity of economic cooperation, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and maintain the security and stability of industry and supply chains.

The two countries should make full use of their interconnectivity projects, jointly safeguard their energy security, strengthen collaboration in scientific and technological innovation and ensure the success of the China-Russia Years of Sports Exchange, Xi said.

The president said China highly values efforts to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, and is willing to fully implement the economic and trade agreement signed by China with the union in order to carry out regional cooperation at a higher level and in greater depth.

Mishustin brought almost all of the important Cabinet members of the Russian government to the meeting with Xi.

Xi's decision to choose Russia as the destination of his first trip abroad after being elected president fully showed the special feature of Russia-China ties in a new era, he said.

Mishustin said the relationship between the two countries is currently at its highest level in history, which will help to better uphold multilateralism and promote a multipolar world in the current international situation.

Russia expects to closely coordinate and cooperate with the new Chinese government, implement consensuses reached between the two heads of state and enhance the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, he said.

Russia is also ready to strengthen cooperation with China in areas such as investment and trade, energy, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and aerospace, he added.