Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Friday that China appreciates Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks on bilateral relations and is assured that prospects for further cooperation between two states are promising.

At a press conference, Lijian said that "China highly appreciates President Putin’s positive remarks on China-Russia relations and good wishes for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games."

China-Russia bilateral relations were brought to a higher level with higher "quality and standards" contributing to upholding peace and stability in the world, the spokesperson noted.

Lijian also expressed that "The China-Russia friendship is unbreakable and our cooperation holds great promise. We have high expectations for and confidence in China-Russia relations in the year to come."

The spokesperson highlighted that his country believes in continued development of bilateral relations with Russia and in the joint development of a global agenda leading to the establishment of "a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.

On Thursday, in a congratulatory message to Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, Putin stressed that Russia and China maintained a productive dialogue in 2021 and achieved a high level of cooperation in trade and science leading to practical results despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

He also said he is looking forward to meeting with Xi at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

It is noteworthy that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and Russia.