China and Russia held talks in Beijing Thursday on issues related to holding large-scale cultural activities in the coming two years, a move to strengthen bilateral strategic partnership.

The Russia Year in China scheduled for 2006 and the China Year in Russia for 2007 were declared in a joint statement during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China last year.

The two goodwill programs will cover a wide spectrum of areas including culture, education, economy, political systems and traditional customs.

The China-Russia talks on the goodwill programs were co-chaired by state councilors Tang Jiaxuan and Chen Zhili and visiting Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, who is also president of the organizing committee of the Russia Year in China.

"The two programs demonstrate the high level of bilateral relations and are a major step to implement principles and spirits of the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation," said a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The activities could help promote friendship between the youths of the two countries and encourage the participation of the local and non-governmental sectors, said the release.

The two countries hope the activities will help increase friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples, expand pragmatic cooperation between the two countries and deepen strategic partnership, according to the release.

The Sino-Russian strategic partnership has resulted in fruitful results in the spheres of politics, trade, military, science and technology in 2005, said the release.

The two countries have also carried out cooperation in international affairs, said the release, pledging the two governments will continue to further improve their strategic partnership.

(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2005)