Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded China-Russia relations when he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF). 

The political mutual trust between the two countries is continuously deepening, he noted, adding that the two countries have maintained close and effective strategic coordination. Bilateral trade volume has reached a historical high and is progressing toward the goal of $200 billion set by the two sides, Xi said. 

Noting that they have met 42 times in the past decade, Xi told Putin that they have developed a good working relationship and a deep friendship. 

The Chinese president pointed out that Putin has attended the BRF three times in a row, demonstrating Russia's support for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

Lauding Russia as an important partner as China pursues international Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said the operation of major infrastructure projects such as the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline has brought tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries. 

China is willing to work with the Russian side and other member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to promote the alignment of the BRI and EAEU's strategies so as to foster higher-level and deeper regional cooperation, Xi said. 

China hopes that the China-Mongolia-Russia natural gas pipeline project will make substantive progress as soon as possible, he added. 

Developing a China-Russia relationship featuring permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation is not a policy of expediency but a long-term policy, Xi told Putin. 

China supports the Russian people in pursuing the path of national rejuvenation independently and safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, Xi reiterated. 

He called on the two sides to promote the high-quality development of China-Russia practical cooperation, actively explore cooperation in strategic emerging industries and take the 2024-2025 China-Russia Culture Year as an opportunity to organize more colorful cultural exchange activities. 

Xi also called for China-Russia joint efforts to safeguard international fairness and justice.  

Stressing BRICS's historic expansion demonstrates the confidence of developing countries in promoting the multipolarity of the world and the democratization of international relations, Xi vowed to deepen communication and collaboration with the Russian side within multilateral frameworks. 

The Chinese president called for playing a greater role in addressing food and energy security, maintaining the stability of the global industrial supply chain and safeguarding the common interests of China and Russia, as well as those of the region and developing countries. 

Putin said the BRI is a widely recognized international public good and expressed hope that more countries will join. 

He stressed that Russia is ready to work closely with China in multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS to defend the international system based on international law and to promote the establishment of a more just and rational system of global governance. 

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, Putin noted, adding that the Russian side firmly adheres to the one-China policy and firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

The two heads of state also had an in-depth exchange of views on the situation in Palestine and Israel. 

(With input from Xinhua)