China lauds Putin's wishes for Beijing Games

China commends highly the positive comments on China-Russia ties by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his good wishes for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday.

In his greetings to President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the New Year and the Spring Festival, Putin said Russia and China's interaction in 2021 was exceedingly productive, according to a statement issued by the Kremlin on Thursday.

"I have no doubt that our Chinese friends will make sure that the Winter Olympic Games are a success. I look forward to our meeting at the opening ceremony of this sports festival," the Kremlin said, quoting the message. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the two countries have held up the treaty's spirit of lasting friendship and win-win cooperation, deepened strategic coordination, carried out all-round and pragmatic cooperation and worked together to safeguard international fairness and justice, Zhao said at a daily news conference.

Over the past year, bilateral ties have developed to be at a higher level and of a better quality, which not only benefits the two countries and their peoples but also makes important contributions to global peace and stability, Zhao said.

The year of 2022 will see China and Russia launch the year of exchanges in the area of sports, the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, as well as Putin's visit to China and attending the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

Noting these events, Zhao said the friendship between the two countries is "unbreakable" and the prospects of bilateral cooperation "boundless", and expressed his "full expectations and confidence" for the development of bilateral ties in 2022.

"China believes firmly that the two countries will continue to provide each other opportunities, continue to promote the agenda of global development and contribute more to the establishment of a new type of international relations as well as a community with a shared future for mankind," Zhao said.

Meanwhile, responding to Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene's comments that Mongolia supports the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and that he will attend related events, Zhao expressed his "warm welcome" to Oyun-Erdene.

Oyun-Erdene was among the foreign leaders who had expressed early their hope to attend the opening ceremony of the Games, Zhao said, praising Mongolia for its support for the Games.