China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said in Moscow Wednesday the strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia is currently showing a momentum all-round and rapid growth, as high-level contact remains frequent.

Wu said in recent years, China-Russia relations have been lifted to new stages as cooperation in all fields reached an unprecedentedly high level.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) shakes hands with Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, in Moscow, capital of Russia, May 13, 2009.[Li Tao/Xinhua]

 Wu made the remarks as he met with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Wednesday afternoon. Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) arrived in Moscow for an official goodwill visit Wednesday.

Wu conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao 's greetings to Medvedev. He highly appreciated frequent contact between leaders of the two countries, saying Medvedev's visit to China last year contributed to the continuous growth of the strategic partnership between the two countries on a high level.

Medvedev said he and Chinese President Hu Jintao had held their first meeting this year during the London G20 summit in April. He expressed the wish that the presidents of the two countries will have more meetings later this year, saying he expects President Hu to pay a state visit to Russia in June. Medvedev also expects to meet with President Hu during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and the summit of "BRIC" countries, namely Brazil, Russia, Indian and China later this year.

In order to push for long-term, healthy and stable growth of China-Russia relations, Wu suggested that the two countries should enhance political trust and share mutual understanding and support on major issues concerning each other's core interest. The two countries should maintain consultation and cooperation on regional and international affairs so as to push for multipolarization and democratization of international relations.

Wu said the two countries should also strengthen cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, energy, investment and local exchanges. He said the two sides should earnestly carry out the cooperation agreements they have already signed. Wu expressed the wish that the two sides should actively overcome difficulties in progress and practically resolve existing problems in their cooperation so as to secure bilateral trade from the impact of global financial storm this year.

Wu said the two countries should step up dialogues and cooperation on financial issues. He said they should maintain close contact and coordination at bilateral and multilateral levels. The two countries should exchange views on maintaining stability of their own financial market and pushing forward reform of the international financial and currency systems, Wu said, adding that China and Russia should join hands to promote the stability of international financial market and rally of global economy.

Medvedev said under the current situation, strengthening cooperation between Russia and China is not only conducive to the development of both countries, but also to resumption of world economy and establishment of a new, just and rational international political and economic system.

Medvedev said Russia places importance on expanding relations with China and is ready to deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation with China in such fields as energy, trade, investment and local contact.

China and Russia are to hold a series of activities to mark the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic links this year. High-level contact has been growing closer in recent years, as President Hu and President Medvedev met four times last year.

Wu and Medvedev jointly stressed the importance of parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, saying the exchanges reflect the high level of development of China-Russia partnership of strategic cooperation.

Wu said the high level of China-Russia partnership is fully reflected in such areas as frequent contact between top leaders of the two countries, the staging of "Russian Language Year" in China, the signing of an oil cooperation agreement between the two governments and the exchanges between the NPC and Russian parliament.

Medvedev said Wu's visit to Russia reflects the momentum of fast growth in bilateral links. Under the current environment of international financial crisis, coordination between the parliaments of the two countries will be conducive to advancing bilateral cooperation. He said Russia places high importance on parliamentary exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2009)