Xi, Putin exchange congratulations on election win in phone talks, pledge to deepen ties

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged congratulations on their respective election win in a telephone conversation on Monday and pledged to further deepen relations between their two countries.

Putin's successful re-election as Russian president is a right choice made by the Russian people, Xi said, adding he believed that under Putin's leadership, the Russian people will definitely continue to focus their attention and energy and forge ahead in unity to keep making new achievements in national development and revival.

Currently, both China and Russia are at a crucial period of national development and rejuvenation. This year is the first year for implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (in October 2017) and also marks the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the policy of reform and opening-up to the world (in 1978), Xi said.

Compared to previous years, the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) this year bear greater significance, the Chinese president said.

In addition to the election of a new state leadership and leadership of the CPPCC National Committee, important proposals such as constitutional amendment and a draft supervision law were discussed while a new round of institutional restructuring of the State Council has started, he added.

These developments will be in the better interest of uniting and encouraging the Chinese people in the struggle for realizing the Chinese dream -- the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Xi said.

Noting that he very much agrees with the important ideas on such areas as national construction, improvement of the people's livelihood, and scientific and technological innovation Putin proposed in his recent state of the union speech, Xi said he believed both China and Russia will stick to their own development paths in the predetermined directions and make new achievements.

China and Russia are comprehensive strategic cooperative partners that stand together through thick and thin, Xi said.

"I have met with Mr. President many times, and we have jointly led China-Russia ties to withstand the test of the fluctuating international situation and reach the best level in history," he said.

As China and Russia are both major countries in the world, China is willing to continue joining hands with Russia to make their links closer, deepen cooperation, jointly draw blueprint for the development of bilateral ties in a next stage, and lead China-Russia relations into a new era, Xi said.

In the phone talks, Putin once again congratulated Xi on his recent election as the Chinese president, saying that this important decision of China's NPC once again proves the high prestige of Xi and the support of Xi by all the Chinese people.

The series of decisions made by the NPC will further promote China's development, Putin said, adding that the decisions are completely correct and Russia firmly supports them.

"Thanks to your promotion in person, the Russia-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is at the highest level in history," Putin said, adding that Russia cherishes the friendship with China, and is willing to work with China to make high-level exchange closer and deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.