BEIJING - President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held talks Friday ahead of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony, pledging to deepen strategic coordination in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

Xi attaches great significance to China-Russia practical cooperation and the development of bilateral relations. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has become even closer, stronger and more mature.

The following are some of Xi's remarks on the importance and development of China-Russia relations and strategic coordination over the past years.

Feb 4, 2022

During the meeting, 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, he said.

June 28, 2021

During talks via video link, Xi and Putin issued a joint statement, officially deciding to extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

Xi referred to the current China-Russia ties as "mature, stable and solid" and able to "withstand the test of any change in the international situation."

He called on the two sides to comprehensively summarize their experience of past successes and create top-level designs for new objectives and tasks in various fields to inject new meaning into the treaty.

"Under the guidance of the treaty, the two countries will continue to make concerted efforts and firmly move forward despite the difficulties and obstacles ahead," Xi added.

Dec 28, 2020

True gold can stand the test of fire, and the difficult period has given more prominence to the unique strength and great value of the China-Russia relationship, said Xi during a telephone conversation with Putin.

By strengthening strategic cooperation, China and Russia can effectively resist any attempt to suppress and divide the two countries, and meanwhile forge a solid shield to safeguard international fairness and justice, Xi said.

April 16, 2020

During a phone conversation on the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi said that China and Russia should explore new flexible and diverse forms of cooperation amid regularized epidemic prevention and control measures, so as to continuously push forward bilateral cooperation.

He said he is confident that through the test of the pandemic, China-Russia strategic coordination will grow more resilient and robust, and the friendship between the people of the two countries will become stronger than before.

Oct 2, 2019

The China-Russia relationship has gone through a very extraordinary development path, and with the joint efforts, the relationship between the two countries has become an example for major countries and neighboring countries in terms of good neighborliness, friendship, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, Xi said in his congratulatory message on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic ties.

April 26, 2019

"We should always regard each other as important development opportunities, support each other and draw on each other's strength to achieve revitalization together," said Xi during talks with Putin on the sidelines of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

Stressing that Russia is an important partner in the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Xi said the alignment of the BRI with the Eurasian Economic Union is a model of regional economic cooperation.

Sept 11, 2018

During their talks before the fourth Eastern Economic Forum, Xi and Putin acknowledged that China-Russia ties have been developing with stronger momentum and have entered a new period of faster development on a higher level.

Regardless of the changes in the international situation, China and Russia will unswervingly promote their ties and steadfastly safeguard world peace and stability, said the two heads of state.