Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 20, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing on Wednesday.

Noting that since the beginning of this year, he has met with President Putin twice, Xi said the governments, legislative bodies, political parties and localities of the two countries have carried out in-depth exchanges, and pragmatic cooperation in various fields has developed in a sound and steady manner.

In the first 11 months of this year, the bilateral trade between China and Russia achieved the annual trade volume target of 200 billion U.S. dollars jointly set by the two heads of state, which shows the strong resilience and broad prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, Xi said.

He noted that maintaining and developing China-Russia relations is a strategic choice made by both sides based on the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

China supports the Russian people in taking the development path of their own choice, Xi said, expressing the hope of taking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia next year as a new starting point to continuously expand the positive effects of the high-level political relations and jointly move forward in the process of comprehensively promoting economic and social development and realizing national rejuvenation.

The Chinese economy has strong resilience, great potential and wide room for maneuver, and its long-term sound fundamentals remain unchanged, Xi said. China firmly promotes high-quality development and high-level opening up, which will provide new opportunities for the development of various countries including Russia, he said.

Xi called on the two sides to give full play to the advantages of political mutual trust, economic complementarity, infrastructure connectivity and people-to-people exchanges; continuously enrich the connotation of cooperation; deepen cooperation on economy, trade, energy and connectivity; and jointly maintain the security and stability of the industrial and supply chains.

He also called for joint efforts to make the China-Russia Cultural Year in 2024 and 2025 a success, design and carry out diverse cultural activities, and consolidate the social and public support for the ever-lasting friendship between the two countries.

Mishustin said the two successful meetings between President Putin and President Xi this year have demonstrated the firm will of Russia and China to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and that Russia is willing to work with China to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.

The 28th regular meeting between the two heads of government was held on Tuesday. Mishustin said Russia is satisfied with the steady growth of bilateral practical cooperation and is willing to work with China to further tap potential, expand cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, energy and connectivity, make the Cultural Year a success, and consolidate the ever-lasting friendship between the two peoples.

Mishustin also conveyed the condolences of the Russian government and people to Xi on the earthquake that jolted northwest China's Gansu Province, saying that Russia is willing to provide rescue assistance according to China's needs.

Xi expressed his gratitude and noted that after the earthquake, President Putin and many foreign leaders have sent messages of condolences.

China is making every effort to carry out rescue efforts and is doing its best to protect the lives and property of the people, Xi said.

At present, rescue forces and supplies in the quake-hit areas are sufficient and the basic living needs of the local people are guaranteed, Xi said, adding that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the people in the affected areas will surely overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 20, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]