Thaindian News

Beijing, Oct 21 (IANS) China is willing to cooperate with Russia on strategic security matters and the two countries should work more closely on bilateral and multilateral issues, said Vice President Xi Jinping.

Xi made the remarks Thursday in his meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, according to a press release issued by the Chinese foreign ministry Friday.

China will work more closely with Russia in order to strengthen communication and coordination on regional and international issues, Xi said.

Patrushev is in Beijing to co-chair the sixth round of China-Russia strategic security talks with Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, reported Xinhua.

Xi spoke on the contribution made by the China-Russia strategic security talks in boosting bilateral political mutual trust and strategic coordination, calling on the two sides to step up strategic coordination in a bid to better safeguard the common interests of the two countries and promote peace and stability in the world.

Citing the significant transition of the international situation, Xi said the two countries face opportunities as well as challenges in maintaining a strategically secure environment for their own development.

On bilateral relations, Xi said China always prioritizes its relations with Russia in the country’s foreign policy. He expressed China’s willingness to make concerted efforts with Russia to push forward bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, energy, science and technology fields.

Russia was satisfied with the current development of the bilateral ties, Patrushev said, proposing tat the two sides should strengthen strategic communication, expand mutual trust and cement coordination in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

China-Russia strategic security talks were initiated by leaders of the two countries in 2005.