Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Feb 4, 2022. [Xinhua/Li Tao]

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing on Friday with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony. The two leaders agreed to deepen strategic coordination in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. 

Recalling his attendance at the opening ceremony of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games in Russia in 2014 when they agreed to meet again eight years later in Beijing, Xi said Putin's visit has realized their "get-together for the Winter Olympics," and their meeting today will inject more vitality into China-Russia relations. 

Despite the multiple challenges that face the world, China and Russia have stayed true to their original aspirations and maintained the steady development of bilateral relations, said Xi. 

The two countries have firmly supported each other in upholding their respective core interests, enhanced their political and strategic mutual trust, and brought the bilateral trade to a new high, Xi said. 

The two sides have actively taken part in the reform and development of the global governance system, practiced true multilateralism, upheld true democratic spirit, and played a pivotal role in uniting the international society to tide over the current difficulties and safeguard international equity and justice, he said. 

Xi said he stands ready to work with Putin to chart the future and provide guidance for bilateral relations under new historical circumstances. He expressed willingness to work with Putin to promote the continuous transformation of high-level mutual trust between China and Russia into results of cooperation in all fields and bring real benefits to the people of the two countries. 

Xi stressed commitment between China and Russia to deepening back-to-back strategic coordination and upholding international equity and justice side by side in the face of profound and complex changes in the international situation. 

The strategic choice, which has far-reaching impacts on both countries and the world at large, has never been and will never be shaken, said Xi. 

Xi called on both sides to continue to maintain close high-level exchanges, give strong support to each other in safeguarding sovereignty, security and development interests, effectively respond to external interference and regional security threats, and maintain international strategic stability. 

Both sides should step up coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and shoulder major-country responsibilities in global issues of pressing concern, such as fighting COVID-19, boosting the economy and tackling climate change, said Xi. 

China is ready to work with Russia to give full play to the political advantages of bilateral relations and push for more achievements in all-round pragmatic cooperation, Xi said. 

He called for implementing the roadmap for high-quality development of China-Russia trade in goods and services, deepening cooperation in such areas as agriculture, green trade, medicine and health, and the digital economy, promoting transport infrastructure connectivity, and maintaining the smooth logistics on the Eurasian continent as well as stability of global industrial and supply chains. 

China and Russia should strengthen their strategic partnership in energy, steadily advance major oil and gas cooperation projects, step up joint innovation in major energy technologies, expand cooperation on new energy, support each other in ensuring energy security, and improve the global energy governance system, he said. 

Xi called for more technological innovation cooperation between the two countries, and cooperation in frontier areas such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and the International Lunar Research Station project. 

The two countries should deepen communication on fiscal and financial policies, strengthen their capability of resisting financial risks, and seek greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, he said. 

Xi said that he is ready to jointly announce with Putin the official launch of the Years of Sports Exchanges between the two countries to deepen mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples. 

Xi said China and Russia should view the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) from a strategic and long-term perspective, move in the right direction and better safeguard the security and common interests of its member states. 

Hailing the SCO's extraordinary course of development over the past 20 years, Xi said it has become an important constructive force in the international community. 

China is ready to work with Russia to enable the BRICS cooperation mechanism to play a bigger role in upholding multilateralism, strengthening anti-pandemic cooperation and promoting economic recovery, and make a greater contribution to global development while realizing the development of the five BRICS countries, he said. 

Putin said he is delighted to be invited to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, and noted that the exchange of visits during the Olympics has become a symbol and a good tradition of close relations between the two heads of state. 

He expressed belief that the Chinese people will definitely present a Winter Olympics of the highest level to the world, expecting wonderful performances of both Russian and Chinese athletes. 

Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has not prevented him from maintaining close exchanges with President Xi through various channels, Putin said the bilateral trade has made steady progress, and the two countries have cooperated closely on international affairs. 

He said Russia regards China as its most important strategic partner and like-minded friend, and Russia-China relations are a model of international relations in the 21st century. 

The Russian side is willing to further deepen strategic communication and coordination with the Chinese side, firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, firmly uphold the core coordination role of the United Nations, firmly uphold international law and international fairness and justice, and promote the building of a more just and reasonable international order, Putin said. 

He also expressed Russia's readiness to work with China to deepen cooperation in various fields including economy, trade, energy, science and technology, finance, and transportation, and jointly host the Years of Sports Exchanges. 

China and Russia issued a joint statement, in which they called on all countries to strengthen dialogue, enhance mutual trust, build consensus, safeguard the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all humanity. 

In the statement, they also called for respect for the rights of people of all countries to independently choose their development paths, respect for the sovereignty and security, and development interests of all countries. 

They also called for defending the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, practice true multilateralism in which the United Nations and the United Nations Security Council play a central coordinating role, promote the democratization of international relations, and achieve world peace, stability and sustainable development. 

The two countries also signed a series of cooperation documents in key areas.