Putin told Xi that he knew that he and many Chinese friends pay special attention to the development of relations between the two countries.

Putin further noted that China has made tremendous progress in its development in recent years, and this is causing genuine interest around the world, and we are even a little envious of it.

China has created a very effective system for developing its economy and strengthening the state. It is much more efficient than in many other nations, this is an obvious fact,’ the Russian president stated.

In response, Xi Jinping stated that Russia made significant progress during Putin’s leadership.

Under the strong leadership of Putin, Russia’s development and prosperity have progressed rapidly,’ he said, expressing his conviction that Putin will continue to enjoy the support of the Russian people.

China gives great importance to its relations with Russia as they have a historical logic, the Chinese president said during his meeting, on Monday, with his counterpart and host.

jrr/jav/ro/gfa.