Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui said on Friday the activities of the Year of Russia in China have achieved "initial results," adding it has helped deepen the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation.

Li, also secretary general of the Chinese organizing committee of the "national year" between China and Russia, held online discussions with netizens on the official Year of Russia in China website - www.2006rus.com.

So far nearly 80 of the 207 planned activities have been held in China, he said.

In the latter part of this year, a series of activities are scheduled to be held in China such as the China-Russia youth forum, students' summer camp, China-Russia investment promotion week and the closing ceremony of Year of Russia in China.

"These activities have played an important role in strengthening understanding and friendship between the two peoples, expanding bilateral cooperation and deepening the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation," he said.

When asked to comment on current China-Russia ties by netizens, Li said relations are in their "best ever period" in history.

The two countries have thoroughly settled their border issues, he said. They support each other on major issues concerning national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and keep close contact on international issues such as the UN reform and the nuclear issues of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Good-neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia.

Li said the treaty is a milestone in bilateral ties, and serves as an example of state-to-state relations in the new era.

In July 2005, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly announced that the Year of Russia would be held in 2006 in China and the Year of China would be held in 2007 in Russia.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2006)