ST.PETERSBURG, June 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- President of Xinhua News Agency Cai Mingzhao (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St.Petersburg of Russia, June 17, 2016. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an hour-long exclusive interview with Xinhua President Cai Mingzhao ahead of his upcoming visit to China, elaborated his views on bilateral ties, China-Russia trade, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and international cooperation, among other issues. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia and China now enjoy unprecedented mutual trust, sharing either the same or similar viewpoints on international affairs, Russian President Vladimir Putin said here in an exclusive interview with Xinhua President Cai Mingzhao.
Putin said the two countries jointly safeguard international stability and are also jointly implementing the Beijing-proposed Belt and Road Initiative that aims to build a trade network connecting Asia, Europe and Africa.
Putin said Russia and China are actively cooperating through such multilateral cooperation platforms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the BRICS mechanism and the United Nations.
"We have maintained contact regularly, and carried out consultations on global and regional affairs. We see each other as close allies, so of course we always listen to each other, by this I mean we keep in mind each other's interests," Putin said.
Putin spoke highly of Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York last year marking the 70th anniversary of the body's establishment.
At that time, Xi called for solving all disputes peacefully with the help of international law and made concrete measures to promote international poverty reduction, which is rare among global leaders, Putin said.
"It is these positions, instead of just geographic proximity, that unite us in international affairs," Putin stressed.
Putin voiced concern over major challenges facing today's world, saying the "coordination between Russia and China on the global stage is itself a stabilizing factor in international affairs."
The interview was a special arrangement prior to Putin's China visit, which is scheduled for June 25.
Currently, Xi is on a three-nation Eurasian tour, which has taken him to Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan, and has won more international support for China's Belt and Road Initiative.
U.S. President Barack Obama has been coping with the worst shooting incident in the country's history, which took 49 lives in a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12. He is also concerned about who is going to succeed him.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is facing a severe test as his country is holding a referendum on Thursday to decide whether to leave or stay in the 28-member European Union.
French President Francois Hollande continues to be troubled by the migrant crisis and unemployment, while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been busy finding excuses for the failure of "Abenomics" and attempting to continue to cover up the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Also in June, German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid her ninth visit to China in her capacity as the chancellor, which brought the Berlin-Beijing ties closer.
Putin said in his interview with Cai that the Russia-China ties have developed smoothly.
"Twenty years ago, we announced a new type of relations -- a strategic partnership; 15 years ago we signed the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. As a lot of work has been done since then, trust between Russia and China has reached an unprecedented level and laid a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation," Putin said.
He also said the two countries have made great efforts to optimize their trade structure, diversify their trade, strengthen hi-tech cooperation, and expanded cooperation in such fields as aerospace, energy, people-to-people exchanges, diplomacy, military and infrastructure, among others.
He said the Silk Road Economic Belt proposed by Xi is very well-timed and appealing.
The Russian president said the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union have agreed to beef up cooperation with China under the framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt, which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Following his upcoming visit to China, Putin is also expected to attend this year's G20 Summit scheduled to be held in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou in September.
