BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping extended congratulations to the 15th plenary session of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development held Saturday in Vladivostok.

In his message, Xi emphasized that the committee, over the past 28 years since its establishment, has stayed true to its founding mission of promoting friendship and cooperation, fully served the overall interests of China-Russia relations, and consolidated the social and popular support for bilateral ties.

Xi also expressed the hope that the committee will take this meeting as an opportunity to actively play the role of the main channel for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and write a friendly chapter of mutual understanding and solidarity between the two peoples in the new era.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin also extended a congratulatory message to the plenary session. ■