Presidents agree that mutual support will result in greater global stability

Developing and deepening relations between China and Russia is a strategic choice, and both countries should make every effort to maintain good relations no matter how the international situation changes, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday.

Both countries should strengthen strategic cooperation, jointly promote sustained and steady growth of the world economy and push for peaceful settlement of issues in international and regional hot spots, Xi said while meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Beijing.

The two countries are hoped to improve the system of global governance and to inject more positive energy for world peace and stability, Xi added.

Putin said proactive communication and coordination between the two countries, as well as their support of each other on major international issues, are important stabilizing factors for the international community.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula situation and other international and regional issues of common concern.

On bilateral ties, Xi said China and Russia should expand cooperation in science, technology and innovation, as well as raise their level of pragmatic cooperation to achieve concrete results.

Putin said relations are developing at a high level, noting that the two countries enjoy frequent high-level exchanges, together with exchanges between government departments and legislative bodies.

China is Russia's top trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching $69.5 billion last year, a year-on-year increase of 2.2 percent, according to figures from Chinese Customs.

Feng Yujun, head of the Institute of Russian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said "there is a very strong driving force" supporting the growth of China-Russia ties, since both countries share many common interests on economic and political fronts globally.

Feng noted that Putin has on several occasions singled out ties with China as a priority in Russian foreign policy. People should have strong confidence, even as the global landscape changes drastically, Feng said.

Earlier on Sunday, Xi and Putin attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.