BEIJING - With Vladimir Putin, Russia's current prime minister, claiming victory in Sunday's presidential election, it is widely expected that the China-Russia relations will further develop in the next six years.

Since his ascending to power in 2000, Putin, working with Chinese leaders, has been actively promoting bilateral ties.

In 2001, the two countries signed "China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation," which consolidated mutual political trust and raised the bilateral relationship to a new high.

Looking forward, cooperation between China and Russia, with two highly complimentary economies, enjoys promising prospects as they further expand partnership in areas such as trade, energy, and technology.

For example, the energy trade between the two countries not only helped to ensure China's energy security but also provided Russia a reliable export market in the Asia-Pacific region.

The bilateral relationship also enjoys wide public support as frequent people-people exchanges have promoted understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

From a global perspective, China and Russia, as two permanent members of the powerful United Nations Security Council, share the same or similar views on wide-ranging global issues such as the protracted turmoil in the Arab world, climate change and global economic issues.

On Syria, both the countries have called for inclusive dialogue among conflicting parties in the country and warned against a forced regime change imposed by the outside world.

Russia and China, as two major emerging economies, have also been trying to push through crucial reforms of the global political and economic structure.

Under the framework of BRICS, a club of five major emerging economies which also groups Brazil, India and South Africa, China and Russia have consistently sought to increase representation of the developing countries at major international organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

In central Asia, China and Russia are two important members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which acts as a main platform for regional countries to promote security, stability and trade.

For people who might have concerns about the global ramifications of stronger China-Russia ties, they should feel relieved as cooperation between the two countries are not directed against other countries.

Putin's election as president of Russia, hopefully, will keep driving the development of the already robust ties between China and Russia, bringing about benefits not only to the two countries, but also to the world at large.