Chinese Vice-Premier meets Putin on cooperation

MOSCOW - Visiting Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian Prime Minister and president-elect Vladimir Putin here on Friday to exchange views on ways to advance the strategic cooperative partnership between their two countries.

The meeting was taking place at Putin's Novo-Ogarevo residence outside Moscow.

In recent years, China and Russia have maintained frequent high-level political contacts, further strengthened strategic political mutual trust, achieved fruitful results in pragmatic cooperation, especially in economy and trade, and had close interaction and coordination in international and regional affairs.

Both sides have pledged their commitment to the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership based on equality, mutual trust, mutual support, common prosperity and lasting friendship.

Li arrived here Thursday for an official visit at the invitation of the Russian government.

Russia is the first leg of Li's current tour, which will also take him to Hungary, Belgium and the EU headquarters in Brussels.