China and Russia should firmly support each other's efforts to safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday.

Xi made the remarks in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou.

The two countries should push forward practical cooperation in areas such as infrastructure construction, energy, aviation, aerospace and high-technology, Xi said, adding that bilateral military exchanges and security cooperation should also be strengthened.

China and Russia should strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs to safeguard justice and promote world peace, he said.

Xi also called for the alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.

A successful G20 Summit could meet the demands of a developing global economy and is in the common interest of all members, including China and Russia, Xi said.

During Putin's state visit to China in June, the two nations issued three joint declarations and signed some 30 cooperative agreements.

Such collaboration reflects the shared stance of China and Russia on key international and regional issues, with both sides making similar comments on safeguarding global strategic security and world peace, Xi said.

Putin said Russia would like to join with China to share political trust and their people's friendship to stimulate economic cooperation.

The two countries should enhance cooperation in trade, investment, finance, energy, science and technology, to bring real benefits to people on both sides, he added.

He voiced support for the G20 Summit theme and agenda set by China and said he hoped the summit will be a success.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the countries' establishing a strategic partnership of coordination, as well as the 15th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation.

Contact between the top leaders of China and Russia has been frequent in recent years, sometimes five or six meetings a year, which reflects the strategic importance of bilateral ties, said Jin Yong, deputy head of the School of Foreign Studies at Communication University of China.

Chen Yurong, director of Eurasian studies at the China Institute of International Studies, added that cooperation in infrastructure and energy industries are at the top of the agenda for China-Russia exchanges.

"Beijing is pushing forward the Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at improving connectivity in Eurasia, while Moscow needs support to counter declining oil prices," she said.

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President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sunday. Nicolas Asfouri / Reuters

 

(China Daily 09/05/2016 page2)