Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met in Moscow on Saturday and agreed to further enhance the strategic relations of cooperation and partnership between their two countries.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, May 8, 2010. President Hu is in Moscow for celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War over Nazi Germany. [Xinhua]

President Hu is in Moscow for celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War over Nazi Germany.

At the meeting, Hu said that both China and Russia made great historic contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and China takes the same stance toward the history of World War II as Russia.

Hu told Putin that China-Russia relations are now enjoying a sound momentum of development and the two countries have made much headway in their cooperation in all fields.

The two countries have also had close interaction and coordination in dealing with international and regional affairs, he said.

Last year the "Year of the Russian Language" activities were held successfully in China and this year the "Year of the Chinese Language" activities have started in Russia, Hu went on to say.

These events will push forward people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation between the two countries and consolidate the traditional friendship between the two peoples, he said.

President Hu stressed that as strategic cooperative partners, China and Russia share extensive interests on many major issues.

Under the current circumstances, he added, the two countries should work together, support each other and deepen their all-round strategic cooperation to better safeguard their common interests and world peace and promote common development.

The two countries should continue strengthening their cooperation in the field of energy and lift their practical cooperation to a new height, he noted.

China stands ready to bolster anti-terrorism communication and cooperation with Russia and make joint efforts in combating the "Three Forces" (terrorism, extremism and separatism) and in maintaining regional peace and stability, Hu said.

Extending his warm welcome, Putin said Hu's very presence at the ceremonies demonstrates the high level strategic partnership between the two nations, which fought shoulder to shoulder during World War II and contributed greatly to the defeat of Nazi Germany and Japanese militarism.

The Russian prime minister noted that currently the two countries are conducting comprehensive and effective cooperation, actively coordinating on a series of important international and regional issues and defending their common interests. The "Year of the Chinese Language" launched recently in Russia will further enhance bilateral relations, he added.

Putin stressed that Russia is willing to strengthen pragmatic cooperation with China in all areas and expand the scope of cooperation, so as to constantly deepen the bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership.

He congratulated Hu on the successful opening of Shanghai Expo, which he described as another splendid global event hosted by China after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The expo not only demonstrates China's growing capabilities, but also acts as an important platform for conducting exchanges among the people of all nations, Putin added.

The Chinese president told Putin that he highly appreciated Russia's substantial support for the expo and its active participation in the event that has caught the world's attention.