China's top legislator eyes further parliamentary exchanges with Russia

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang called for further parliamentary exchanges and cooperation with Russia during his meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday.

Cooperation with the Russian Federal Assembly is important to the foreign exchanges by the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislative body, said Zhang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.

He hailed the establishment of a parliamentary cooperation committee between the two countries as well as their first meeting this year.

The NPC is ready to work with the Russian Federal Assembly to strengthen exchanges on legislation to expand cultural cooperation and people-to-people communication, and promote the integration of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Eurasian Economic Union, Zhang said.

Medvedev echoed Zhang saying he hoped legislative bodies of the two countries could strengthen coordination on regional and international affairs to promote bilateral cooperation in trade, political parties and localities.

Medvedev was in Beijing for an official visit at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and he attended the 20th China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting.

Prior to his Beijing trip, Medvedev attended the 14th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) prime ministers' meeting held in central China's Zhengzhou City as well as the second World Internet Conference held in east China's water town of Wuzhen. Endi