President encourages students from both nations to share their friendship

President Xi Jinping hailed the historic contributions made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in promoting mutual political trust and cooperation in various areas on Friday as he witnessed Putin receive an honorary doctoral degree from Tsinghua University.

Xi and hundreds of faculty members and students attended the ceremony at the Beijing Friendship Hotel.

Xi said he was more than pleased to see that Putin, a good friend of the Chinese people, was given the degree by Tsinghua, which is Xi's alma mater.

He offered his hearty congratulations to Putin, who in June became the first individual to receive China's Friendship Medal, the highest honor China offers foreigners.

He also called on young students of the two countries to pass on the friendship of the two peoples, and urged them to pass on the traditional friendship of the two peoples and promote joint development of the two countries.

Putin said he was deeply honored and moved by the grand ceremony held by Tsinghua, a university of worldwide prestige, as well as to have it witnessed by his "good friend Xi Jinping".

He also noted that Russia-China exchanges and cooperation in education are developing rapidly, with both countries having large number of students studying in each other's country.

During their talks after the ceremony, Xi noted that over the past 70 years, bilateral relations have forged ahead despite hardships, and these relations are at a high level based on mutual trust, coordination and strategic value between two major countries.

Xi said he is ready to work with Putin to guide bilateral relations to advance with the times and to stimulate even more vitality in their ties.

China and Russia, both of which are committed to achieving national development and rejuvenation, have common goals and face common challenges, he said.

It is important for both nations to see each other as important development opportunities and offer each other support and strength to achieve more vitality.

He added that Russia is an important cooperative partner for the joint building of the Belt and Road, and the alignment of the BRI with the Eurasian Economic Union has become a model for regional economic cooperation.

The two sides should continue cooperating in areas such as energy, science, technology, aerospace, people-to-people exchanges and exchanges at local levels, Xi said.

China will provide a pair of pandas to Russia, he added.

Xi also stressed the need for the two countries to enhance international coordination, safeguard the authority of the United Nations and its Security Council, and adhere to multilateralism.

Putin said that the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is now at its historic best and has become a model for international relations.

The two presidents also exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Venezuela, and they agreed to conduct closer communication and coordination in international and regional affairs and in multilateral institutions.