China stands ready to bolster strategic coordination with Russia over international and regional affairs and jointly safeguard the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday.

Li made the remark in a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Tashkent of Uzbekistan on Friday. They will both attend the 18th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Saturday.

Li recalled his meeting with Medvedev in St. Petersburg in September, saying that the two nations have reached a new consensus over pragmatic cooperation in various areas.

Medvedev said the meeting with Li in September was more than fruitful as a number of bilateral cooperative agreements were signed.

The two nations should continue to step up cooperation in innovations and enable more outcomes from bilateral cooperation, he said.