Official website of the President of Russia

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Vice President of the People'S Republic of China Xi JINPING (retranslated): Mr President, I am very pleased to see you again. I would like to extend a warm welcome to you on your official visit to China and in connection with your participation in the Russia Day events at the 2010 World EXPO in Shanghai.

We have just watched together a wonderful performance with the participation of Russian actors. They showed all the beauty and diversity of the Russian culture and brought us great pleasure and joy.

Mr President, your personal participation in the Russia Day events at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai signifies great support for China in holding this exhibition. We express our deep appreciation.

In turn, the Chinese side attaches great importance to Russia's participation in the Shanghai Expo. At the opening of the Shanghai exhibition, Mr Hu Jintao personally visited the Russian pavilion. This time he instructed me to accompany you during your visit to the Russian pavilion and the opening of the Russia Day. This testifies to the special friendship between our two nations and is evidence of the high level of the Chinese-Russian relations of strategic partnership and cooperation.

President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Vice President, it is a great pleasure to meet with you again, and I am happy that this meeting is taking place in China. Our visit consists of several parts: it started in the north, in Dalian and Beijing, and has now moved to the south, to Shanghai. This has given our delegation a better understanding of how China lives today, and an opportunity to further strengthen our strategic partnership and cooperation.

As regards the exhibition itself, its organisation has been excellent. I would like to thank once again our Chinese partners, President Hu Jintao and you, Mr Xi Jinping, for the support that was provided to our exposition.

I am certain that such events bring people closer together and help them to get to know each other better. You know, it turns out I made a mistake: I thought our pavilion has had five million visitors, but I have just been briefed that it has been six million. Naturally, I am very pleased about that.

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