Both countries regard the development of bilateral relations as a long-term strategic choice, not a matter of expediency. The two countries do not form "small cliques," but achieved deep mutual trust and all-round cooperation by standing shoulder-to-shoulder and working back-to-back, establishing a new type of major-country relations that transcends traditional military and political alliances, setting a model for exchanges between major powers and neighboring countries.

　　The guidance of the two heads of state is the greatest advantage and fundamental guarantee behind the high-level development of China-Russia relations.

　　President Xi and President Putin have met more than 40 times and exchanged over 100 phone calls and letters over the past decade or more, maintaining close communication and coordination on bilateral ties as well as major international and regional issues. Through such interactions, the two heads of state have provided strategic guidance and direction for bilateral relations.

　　From jointly signing the Joint Statement on a New Stage of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination in 2014, to announcing the development of a China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era in 2019, and then jointly deciding to extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation in 2021, every upgrade in China-Russia relations has been inseparable from the directional guidance and strategic planning of the two presidents. President Putin"s current visit is a continuation of this strategic communication.