BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov here Tuesday that Sino-Russian relations have witnessed good development and that the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries will experience further growth next year.

    The two foreign ministers are here attending the 17th APEC Ministerial Meeting which precedes the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting slated for Nov. 17-19.

    Li said China is willing to join hands with Russia to maintain high-level exchanges and deepen strategic dialogue, make the "Russia Year" in China and the "China Year" in Russia a success, strengthen coordination and cooperation in major international andregional affairs, and continue to enhance solidarity and cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

    For his part, Lavrov said he agreed with Li's assessment of thetwo countries' relations, saying that Russia and China should enter bilateral cooperation in a wider range of areas and step up consultation and cooperation in international affairs, jointly safeguarding regional as well as global peace and stability.

    The two sides also exchanged views on the situations in CentralAsia and the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the six-party talks on the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula. Enditem ¡¡