China and Russia are ready to further enhance their strategic partnership of cooperation, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said yesterday.

"China-Russia relations are in good shape," Yang said in response to a question from a Russian journalist at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary session. He voiced China's "warm congratulations" for Russia's President-elect Dmitry Medvedev, and the country's high appreciation for outgoing President Vladimir Putin for his great contributions to Sino-Russian relations over the years.

The two countries, in the second decade of their strategic partnership of cooperation, have agreed to push forward bilateral ties in the spirit of the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. "We're confident of the prospects of our relations," said Yang.

He said China and Russia will boost high-level contacts and exchanges, enhance support for each other, particularly on issues concerning each other's core interests, expand trade and economic cooperation, and enhance cooperation on international and regional affairs so as to boost world peace and development.