China and Russia should further cement and deepen the strategic partnership of cooperation, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday in a meeting in Beijing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two sides should place their relationship at a more prominent place in their foreign affairs, Wen said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to their talks in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 22, 2006. [newsphoto]

Bilateral relations have entered a new phase of development since the two countries set up the strategic partnership of cooperation and signed the Sino-Russian Good Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, Wen noted.

The events of the Year of Russia and the Year of China are the fruits of these relations, and reflect the political willingness of Chinese and Russian leaders to promote all-round cooperation and the expectation of the two peoples to push for friendship for future generations, he said.

Wen said the stable and mutually-beneficial economic and trade cooperation between China and Russia fits the long-term interests of both nations.

The two countries should continue expanding bilateral trade scales, optimize trade structure, enhance energy cooperation and encourage mutual investment, so as to lay a more solid base for the development of bilateral relations, the premier said.

Putin said Russia-China relations are developing at a very high level, and the two sides are creating a sound political environment for the growth of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

The bilateral trade exchanges are enjoying rapid growth, the president said, calling for both sides to continue increasing cooperation in energy, machine building, transport, telecommunications, finance, aerospace and environmental protection.