President Xi wraps up visit to Russia

MOSCOW - President Xi Jinping wrapped up his state visit to Russia, the first foreign destination after he took office earlier this month, and left Moscow Sunday for Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania.

During his Russia visit, which started Friday, Xi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin vowed in their talks to enhance their countries' comprehensive strategic cooperation.

Xi stressed that China and Russia are each other's major and most important strategic cooperative partner, and both accord priority to deepening their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership on their overall diplomatic agenda and in their foreign policy.

In face of the profoundly complex international situation and the still grave global economic environment, the two sides should work together more closely to enhance their comprehensive strategic cooperation, said the Chinese president.

Putin said the two countries hold a similar stance on many major issues and enjoy extensive common interests and bright cooperation prospects.

As regards their countries' practical cooperation, the two leaders held in-depth discussions and agreed that the time and conditions are ripe for the two sides to carry out large-scale economic cooperation.

The two sides agreed to make full use of their various cooperation mechanisms, and invigorate collaboration on large joint projects of strategic significance.

In addition, the two sides promised to cooperate more closely on major global and regional issues under such frameworks as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, so as to safeguard world peace and development.

The two sides also ratified the 2013-2016 implementation guidelines of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

Xi and Putin signed a joint statement on deepening the bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, which has laid out the priorities of future bilateral cooperation and called for a new type of great-power relations in the international arena.

On Saturday, Xi delivered an important speech to students and teachers in a Moscow university, expressing China's views on the current international situation and elaborating on China's diplomatic policies.

On the Same day, Xi visited the Russian defense ministry, and met with Russian sinologists, Chinese-learning students and representatives from the press.

Xi's visit to Russia, shortly after he became China's president, is a testimony to the great importance China places on its relations with Russia.

Analysts said that the visit to Russia by China's new president would inject new vigor into the development of Russia-China relations.

From Russia, Xi will continue his first overseas trip as Chinese president to Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of the Congo.

In South Africa, Xi will attend the fifth BRICS summit in the port city of Durban on March 26-27, the first to be held on the African continent.

Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, collectively known under their acronym BRICS, will also have a retreat with African regional leaders.

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