MOSCOW, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed congratulations on the Chinese national day, saying that his country values friendship and cooperation with China and will further strengthen bilateral relations.

Medvedev made the remarks Thursday evening at the reception of the Chinese national day held by the Chinese embassy in Moscow.

China has achieved enormous achievements in the fields of socio-economy, science, technology and culture, and held an important position in the international arena since it was founded on Oct. 1, 1949, he said.

The Russia-China relations have currently attained to a new level on the basis of mutual respect and mutual trust, which indicates great potentials to further such cooperation, Medvedev said.

He stressed that the theme years held in China and Russia increase bilateral exchanges and promote pragmatic cooperation in many fields, strengthening mutual understanding of the peoples of the two countries.

Chinese Ambassador to Russia Liu Guchang lauded the Sino-Russian relations, which he said are in the best period for a full-scale and rapid development.

The activities conducted under the framework of the theme years make the peoples of the two nations closer to each other and help forge a closer cooperation in various areas, Liu said.