President Xi Jinping's presence at the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia was praised by the international community as a move that brings the two countries closer and reinforces China's image as a global advocate for world peace and stability.

Xi's visit to Sochi from Thursday to Saturday marked the first time a Chinese head of state has attended an opening ceremony of a major overseas sporting event.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets lauded Xi's visit, saying it demonstrates that China values the Sino-Russian relationship and supports the Olympic Games.

Russian TV host Sergey Brilev agreed.

"The Russian people were touched by Xi's visit to Sochi," said Brilev, who had an exclusive interview with Xi on Friday. "We can tell from the visit that the two countries back each other on important issues."

The relationship between the two countries has improved greatly in the past few years, and the governments are dedicated to strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership, Brilev said.

Egypt's former ambassador to China, Mahmoud Alam, said the trip shows China's willingness to seek further talks with Moscow to develop their comprehensive strategic partnership and support each other on international issues and their core interests.

"Xi's presence at the Olympics shows to the world that China firmly supports Russia's hosting a successful sports event. Meanwhile, it is also another case in point that the two sides have each other's support over issues of major concern," the Tass news agency said.

"The trip is widely viewed as an important symbol of true friendship between the two neighbors," the agency said.

Relations between China and Russia have shown greater potential for growth, thanks to the efforts by top leaders on both sides, Tass said.

Mikhail Titarenko, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of the Far East, said Beijing's support for the Sochi Olympics has significant meaning to existing Sino-Russian ties as well as future cooperation between the two countries.

Xi and Putin share a common love of sports, and the in-depth meeting of the presidents will provide a solid foundation for deepening bilateral relations, said Taras Ivchenko, dean of the Confucius Institute of Russian State University for the Humanities.

From ping-pong diplomacy to Olympics diplomacy, sports has played a significant diplomatic role in promoting communication between China and the world, Ivchenko said.

Michal Krol, a researcher at the Brussels-based European Center for International Political Economy, said the leaders' meeting at the Games highlights the determination of the two countries to cooperate in various fields.

A column in Seoul-based Kyunghyang Shinmun said the Chinese leadership has realized that the nation's rejuvenation is greatly dependent on its friendly relations with its neighbors.

Stephen Perry, a seasoned British entrepreneur and China watcher, said Xi's Sochi trip shows that China's foreign policy is more "proactive", adding that the country sees sports as an aspect of "soft power".

Xi's attendance at the opening ceremony amid the absence of some Western countries' leaders underscored the importance Beijing attaches to its diplomacy with neighboring countries, according to a commentary in the Seoul-based Korea JoongAng Daily.

Valdo Ferretti, a professor of East Asia History at Sapienza University of Rome, said Xi's trip showed to the world China's efforts to maintain and promote global peace as a major power. At the same time, China demonstrated its active role in safeguarding stability in the Far East.

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Xinhua contributed tothis story.

(China Daily 02/10/2014 page11)