President Putin warmly congratulated Mr Hu on his 60th birthday. Mr Putin and Mr Hu spoke highly of the recent visit by the Russian President to China and discussed ways of implementing its results.
Earlier, Mr Putin sent Mr Hu a congratulatory message on his 60th birthday.
The message said, in part:
“Sixty years is a watershed in human life. I hear people in China also call this occasion a ‘great jubilee’. Following the Chinese tradition, I would like to wish you ‘a longevity comparable to the southern mountains and a happiness like the eastern seas’.
“We in Russia know and appreciate your strive to continue developing and deepening the strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. I fully share this assessment and am confident that close contacts between us will help achieve this noble goal.”