MOSCOW, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday met with visiting Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China Xu Qiliang in Moscow, Russia, with both sides vowing to promote bilateral ties.
While recalling his previous several meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping this year, Putin said he and Xi have set up good working and personal relationships, and the political mutual trust between the two countries has improved and reached a historic high.
When pragmatic cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, energy and people-to-people exchanges, among others, have seen progress, military ties between the two partners have also been on the fast lane, said Putin.
The armed forces of the two countries hold joint drills regularly, and the cooperation between the two militaries in various areas are also fruitful, said Putin, who believed military cooperation plays a pivotal role in the strategic partnership between Russia and China and hoped defense departments of the two countries could better arrange their exchanges and cooperation in a bid to further bilateral military ties in the future.
Xu, for his part, said that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation has entered a new phase thanks to great efforts made by leaders of China and Russia.
As China and Russia take fully consideration of each other's core interests, the mutually beneficiary relationship of the two nations features mutual support and close cooperation, said Xu, who believes the partnership brings tangible benefits to the two countries and receives support from the two peoples, while contributing to regional and world peace.
Xu pledged that China is willing to deepen military exchange and expand pragmatic cooperation with Russia so as to boost bilateral military ties to a new high.