Li speaks highly of cultural relations

Li made the remarks when speaking at the university on his third day in Russia, the first stop in a 10-day visit to Europe, which will later take him to Hungary, Belgium and the headquarters of the European Union, to enhance trade and investment relations.

Many young people in China and Russia are enthusiastic about promoting Sino-Russian friendship, Li said in the speech, adding that young people are the "main force of friendship".

Statistics show that about 13,000 Russian students are studying in China and around 20,000 Chinese students are in Russia.

Speaking of bilateral relations, Li said the two countries have broad common interests and share a common responsibility on many important international issues.

"China believes Russia's prosperity is fundamentally in China's interests and good for world peace and stability. China hopes Russia will be more thriving and prosperous," Li said.

Sino-Russian relations have solid foundations in the past, precious opportunities at the moment and great potential for development in the future, he added. Noting that in today's world, globalization and multi-polarization co-exist with unprecedented closely related production factors, Li said no single country can dominate the changes of world situation.

"As all countries endeavor to develop their economy and improve people's standard of living, the world needs peaceful cooperation, respect and equality," Li said.

China and Russia, as two big growing economies, have been calling for and contributed to the creation of a fair and rational new international order, analysts said.

Yu Sui, a professor of Russian studies at the Beijing-based China Center for Contemporary World Studies, said China and Russia have come even closer in the face of the challenges made by some world powers that are reluctant to see the developing countries become stronger.

Later in the day, Li visited the Central Museum of Great Patriotic War on Poklonnaya Mountain in western Moscow, and met veterans of World War II.

In a joint statement on the 65th anniversary of victory in WWII, released in 2010 after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited China, the two countries recalled their mutual support during the war.

"The glorious history, imprinted with the friendship the people of the two countries forged in the war and their mutual help, has laid a sound foundation for today's strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia," said the statement.

Xing Guangcheng, a researcher on Russian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said as close neighbors with a long history of interaction, China and Russia have experienced bad and good times in their relationship.

"After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, bilateral relations entered a relatively sound period, which has now developed into a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership," Xing said. The two countries have learned experiences from history and look forward to an even brighter future in bilateral cooperation, he noted.

Li will arrive in the Russian city of Kazan and meet local leaders of the Volga Federal District on Sunday, before heading to Hungry on Monday.

Contact the writers at dingqingfen@chinadaily.com.cn and chengguangjin@chinadaily.com.cn