A reception was held in Beijing on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Russia-China Friendship Association, a leading Russian non-governmental organization for Russia-China friendship.

Chairman of the Association Mikhail Titarenko headed a delegation to attend the reception held by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

At a symposium before the reception, CPAFFC President Chen Haosu praised the Russia-China Friendship Association as a "strong link" of the friendship between Russian people and the Chinese people.

For the past 50 years, he said, the Association has kept introducing China's construction and reform to the Russian people.

Titarenko, who is also head of the Far East Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Russia, said his Association is to attract more people from all circles of Russia to the rank of promoting friendship and the strategic cooperative partnership of the two countries.

The Russia-China Friendship Association will also hold a meeting in upcoming October in Russian capital to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Association, and Chen will head a CPAFFC delegation to attend the celebration.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2007)