Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the cooperation between Russia and China on Tuesday as an important factor in strengthening international strategic stability and he said his country values the strategic partnership with China.

"Russia intends to further develop the strategic partnership with China based on previous accords," Putin told his annual press conference in the Kremlin, adding that Russia sees the same will from the Chinese side.

The two countries, which had been negotiating a settlement to their border issue for the past four decades, have successfully solved the most complicated issue in bilateral ties based on bilateral agreements, Putin said.

Speaking on bilateral trade, he said the two countries set the goal of bringing trade volume to US$20 billion three years ago, but trade totaled US$29 billion last year.

"We are now planning to bring trade to US$60 billion by 2010," Putin said. "This is quite attainable."

The Russian president said he will attend the opening ceremony of the Year of Russia in China in spring, which he views as a boost to bilateral ties.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2006)