Chinese President Hu Jintao, who visits South Korea for the 13th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, shakes hands with his Russian counterpart, Vladmir Putin, in South Korea's southeast port city of Busan, Nov. 18, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

Chinese President met in Pusan yesterday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and the two leaders exchanged in-depth views on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 13th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' meeting which opened in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan.

Both China and Russia are members of the APEC forum.

During the meeting, Hu said that this year witnessed fruitful achievements in the development of the strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia and that China is satisfied with the results achieved in bilateral cooperation in various areas, said sources from the Chinese delegation.

"We signed the Joint Statement on the International Order of the 21st Century, which comprehensively expounds the common stanceof China and Russia on major international issues," said the Chinese president.

The two countries also successfully conducted the first joint military manoeuvre and launched the consultation mechanism on strategic security and the cooperation between their legislative bodies, Hu added.

The 10th regular meeting between the two countries' heads of government has also achieved fruitful results, said the Chinese president who arrived here Thursday.

"China attaches importance to Sino-Russian ties and stands ready to make joint efforts with Russia to push China-Russia Strategic Partnership of Coordination to a new level," said Hu.

China also attaches importance to expanding economic cooperation and trade with Russia, and stands ready to adopt measures to increase imports from Russia and deepen cooperation inenergy, electromechanical and infrastructure construction, so as to achieve a win-win result based on mutual benefit, said the Chinese president.

China attaches importance to the"Russia Year" activities to be held in China and the "China Year" in Russia, Hu said.

For his part, Putin said the achievements of cooperation in various fields between Russia and China demonstrate both sides'strong aspiration for promoting bilateral friendly ties.

Russia believes that constantly develop Russia-China Strategic Partnership of Coordination conforms to the interests of both peoples, he added.

Russia always takes positive attitude toward energy cooperationwith China and will make joint efforts to push forward the cooperation and achieve new results, Putin noted.

Russia stands ready to prepare the "Russia Year" in China in 2006, and the "China Year" to be held in Russia in 2007, said Putin. "Such move will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and strengthening bilateral cooperation and friendship."

The two heads of state also expressed support to increasing contacts in border areas, coordinating their regional development strategies, and encouraging people in the border areas to conduct communications and mutually-beneficial cooperation in various forms.

The two presidents also exchanged views on regional situation and agreed to join other countries to maintain regional peace and stability.