Chinese President Xi Jinping called on great efforts to deepen China-Russia cooperation and elevate bilateral relations to a higher level as the two countries face new challenges under the current circumstances.

China and Russia have agreed to upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era in a bid to take the ties to a higher level, Xi told guests attending a gala performance on Wednesday marking the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries at Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.

Xi hailed the historical friendship between the two. He said China and Russia have enjoyed strong and unbreakable bond, as Chinese people and people from the Soviet Union worked together and fought against fascists during WWII. The two sides established diplomatic ties on the day after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, and the Soviet Union sent specialists and scientists to assist China's industry building in its early years, Xi went on to say.

Xi called on the two countries to work on leveling up bilateral cooperation in four aspects:

Firstly, Xi said the two sides should continue to deepen political trust.

Xi said we must cherish the mutual trust like we cherish our eyes. Strong political trust is fundamental for the two countries, and the two should continue to expand communication on each other's diplomatic and domestic policies, and development strategies, and elevate the bilateral relations, Xi noted. Other parties can not undermine the trend, he added.

Secondly, he urged the two countries to expand cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The two sides should work on bridging the China-proposed BRI with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and enhance cooperation based on innovation and mutual benefits, in a bid to promote connectivity and better benefit the peoples of the two countries.

Thirdly, Xi said the two countries should strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchange in the new era. He said people from both countries have built strong friendship over the past 70 years despite the bumps in the relationship.

He noted that he and President Putin went to Moscow Zoo to meet the two giant pandas that have been gifted to Russia earlier in the day, which shows the friendship between the two countries in the new era. The two sides shall launch more campaigns to promote cooperation in education, culture, sports, media and youth.

Fourthly, Xi called on the two countries to take greater responsibility in international affairs.

Xi said China and Russia, as permanent members of UN Security Council, should uphold fairness and justice and take responsibility to defend the international system and order based on the UN Charter and to promote a more prosperous and fairer global system. 

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, June 5, 2019. /Xinhua Photo)