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The meeting was also attended by Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: First, I would like to congratulate you on your election to the Politburo of the Communist Party Central Committee at the 19th Party Congress and on your appointment as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission. This is very important for us, because you have also become co-chair of the Russian-Chinese Intergovernmental Commission for Military Technical Cooperation.

I wish you success, and I am sure that there will be continuity with what has been done until now and that you will do your utmost to further promote bilateral military-technical cooperation in your role as co-chairman.

I would like to begin our meeting by saying once again that strategic partnership with China remains a key foreign policy priority of Russia. We highly value our current relations.

They have developed largely thanks to the Chinese leadership and personally to the President of China, whom we consider a friend. Please, convey our best regards to him.

Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia (retranslated): Thank you for your congratulations.

Your Excellency Mr President, thank you for finding the time to meet me and our group. To begin with, let me convey to you cordial greetings and best wishes from Xi Jinping.

As the head of the main department on arms and military equipment, in 2013 I took part in the 17^th and 18^th meetings of the mixed intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation, where I met you. Now, four years later, I again have the honour of meeting you. For me this is a big honour and pleasure.

Your Excellency Mr President, you enjoy respect and support of the Russian people and the Armed Forces. You are a national hero. You are leading the Russian people and moving toward prosperity and wealth, and have achieved great success.

You have made an important contribution to resolving a number of major complicated issues. In this way, you have demonstrated political resolve and outstanding leadership ability.

Your Excellency Mr President, you are the head of a country that maintains very close contacts with Xi Jinping. We have counted that since 2013 you met with him 24 times.

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