Chinese President Jiang Zemin met Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Shanghai for the sixth "Shanghai Five" summit.

The two leaders exchanged opinions concerning Sino-Russian relations and major issues of common concern in a sincere and friendly atmosphere.

Jiang expressed his welcome to Putin's visit to Shanghai during the meeting.

Noting that the two presidents, together with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, will upgrade the "Shanghai Five" mechanism to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Friday, Jiang said that "this will have great importance to the development of our bilateral relations, the maintenance of regional security and stability and the promotion of multi-polarization of the world."

Putin thanked Jiang for inviting him to the summit. He noted that the "Shanghai Five" process has been developing smoothly.

"Now that we have got a new direction of development, and will have new member joining, this will surely further expand cooperation among the member states," Putin said.

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction over the development of the bilateral ties. Putin said that there is now a trend for more active and rapidly growing bilateral ties between the two countries, and that the two countries could do more things in many fields.

Putin expressed his welcome to Jiang's important state visit to Russia in July this year.

Noting that this is the first meeting of the two leaders this year, Jiang said he is very glad that they will have several chances this year to meet and discuss major issues of common concern.

Jiang described the sound working relations between the two countries and personal friendship between the two leaders as offering an important guarantee to the steady development of the Sino-Russian relations.

The Chinese president said he is looking forward to the state visit to Russia next month, when the two leaders will sign a pact on Sino-Russian good-neighborly friendship and cooperation.

The pact will function as a legal document guiding the development of the Sino-Russian relations in the new century and will have a deep and far-reaching impact on the steady development of the bilateral ties in the long run, Jiang said.

Putin reiterated Russia's principle and stance on the missile defense issue. Jiang expressed the view that China will continue to support Russia's efforts in maintaining global strategic stability. The two sides agree to keep a close contact on the issue.

The two leaders also exchanged their views of points on other global and regional issues of common concern.

(Xinhua 06/14/2001)