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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends, please allow me to warmly welcome you! Our colleagues say hello as well.

We have just completed an event within the framework of the CSTO – the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, with representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Belarus. They know that you and I have a meeting today and asked that I pass on their warmest wishes.

I am pleased to note that overall, relations between our governments as well as our parliaments are developing very intensively, through both houses of Russian parliament.

I am not going to cover the entire range of our relations now; we will have time to discuss it in a little bit. But the parliaments of our nations certainly create a very good, positive atmosphere and are supporting efforts in all areas of activity, promptly making necessary, measured decisions.

I am very happy to see you, Mr Chairman! Welcome!

CHAIRMAN OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ZHANG DEJIANG (translated from Russian): Mr President, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to meet with you today. Before I left [China], President Xi Jinping specifically asked me to convey his very best wishes to you.

I am very pleased to be able to point out that our countries’ leaders do not only maintain a close working relationship. You are also very good friends. President Xi Jinping was very pleased with the successful outcome of the G20 summit that took place under your excellent leadership. He also asked me to convey his gratitude for your warm welcome. First and foremost I would once again like to pass on President Xi Jinping’s greetings to you.

In March this year, after President Xi Jinping was elected President of China, he chose Russia for his first foreign visit. During that visit he held a very important meeting with you, Mr President, and you agreed to further strengthen your comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation. This opened a new chapter in the history our countries’ relations and cooperation.

In less than six months our countries’ leaders have already met three times; this will enable us to further develop our comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation. I think that this is a rare thing in the history of international relations. The Chinese party highly values and attaches great importance to the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation.

This is my sixth visit to Russia in the past decade. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with you, so I am especially pleased to do so today.

Mr President, I know that you benefit from a very good reputation not only in Russia, but also on the international stage. I am very pleased to meet with you today, and to exchange opinions face to face.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Thank you for your kind words and the greetings from my good friend and partner, President of China Xi Jinping. I must say that we really do have very close business and personal contacts. This helps us in our work.

During the G20 you mentioned, China's voice came through very convincingly and authoritatively. I would ask you to convey my gratitude to President Xi Jinping for his active participation in the G20’s work, and my warmest, very best wishes.

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