Xi: Relations with Russia unparalleled

President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that promoting the high-level development of China-Russia relations with tireless efforts serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and provides a source of stability for world peace.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Russian parliament's lower house, the State Duma, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The president said that in today's world of turbulence and transformation, the China-Russia relationship is unparalleled in terms of stability, maturity and strategic significance among major-country relations.

Xi recalled his state visit to Russia in May and his participation in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, and said that next week, China will hold grand events to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

China and the Soviet Union were the principal theaters of World War II in Asia and Europe, respectively, and they made great national sacrifices in resisting Japanese militarism and German fascist aggression, and made great contributions to the victory in World War II, he said.

Xi underlined the need for China and Russia to carry forward their traditional friendship, deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation across the board, and jointly safeguard their security and development interests.

He called on both countries to promote solidarity with other Global South countries, commit to true multilateralism, and work for a more just and equitable international order.

Noting that cooperation between legislative bodies is an indispensable part of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, Xi expressed the hope that the two sides will actively share experience on governance and lawmaking in order to provide more robust legislative guarantees for China-Russia strategic coordination and comprehensive cooperation under the new circumstances.

Volodin was on an official visit to China on Monday and Tuesday at the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature. They co-chaired the 10th meeting of the China-Russia committee for parliamentary cooperation in Beijing on Monday.

During their meeting, Volodin conveyed to Xi cordial greetings and best wishes from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said that under the strategic guidance of the two presidents, Russia-China relations have seen further development and yielded fruitful outcomes.

The Russian State Duma is committed to acting in line with the important consensus between the two presidents, reinforcing exchanges and cooperation between the legislative bodies, and working hard to make the bilateral relationship even more productive, Volodin said.

Saying that 80 years ago, people in the Soviet Union and China made great contributions to the victory over fascism, Volodin expressed Russia's readiness to join China in celebrating this hard-won victory, honoring fallen heroes, and working for a better future.

Volodin's China visit came days before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday and Monday in Tianjin, as well as the grand gathering to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which is scheduled for Sept 3 in Beijing.

After his arrival in Beijing on Monday, Volodin posted on social media that the agenda for his China visit includes enhancing trade and economic cooperation, historical truth protection, and youth exchanges to strengthen humanitarian cooperation.

"Our country's relationship with China is built on the principles of friendship and trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and noninterference in the affairs of sovereign states, as well as the absence of double standards," he wrote.

Observers said that Volodin's visit to China is likely to help prepare for Russia's participation in the two upcoming events. As key members of the anti-fascist alliance, China and Russia share a common stance in opposing historical nihilism and defending the legacy of World War II, they said.