President Hu Jintao Tuesday pledged that China will work with Russia to consolidate bilateral relations.

China and Russia, as well as regional and world stability, will benefit if the two countries enhance political trust and expand cooperation, Hu said.

The president made the remarks when meeting Sergei Mironov, chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly.

Mironov wrapped up his two-day official visit to China yesterday afternoon.

Hu said the two countries have established a mechanism for high level exchanges and made major achievements in economic cooperation.

China is now Russia's fifth biggest trade partner, recording a bilateral trade volume of US$12 billion last year.

Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday also vowed in a separate meeting with Mironov to work closely with Russia to implement all cooperative agreements signed by the heads of the two countries.

Mironov said bilateral trade needs to be improved and Russia wants to work more closely with China in the fields of nuclear energy and civil aviation.

Hu said the legislative bodies of the two countries should strengthen exchanges and cooperation to help develop bilateral ties.

Noting that the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly has established sound relations with the National People's Congress, Mironov pledged to enhance links between the two parliaments within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"The young regional organization, which has already gained a high reputation, should broaden in scope," Mironov said.

When asked to comment on the joint anti-terror exercise to be held by the SCO soon, Mironov said the body has great potential to build partnerships in fighting terrorism.

Turning to the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Mironov said Russia and China share the same stance -- that the Korean Peninsula should be nuclear free, and the DPRK should receive effective security guarantees.

(China Daily August 6, 2003)