In Crimea, President Viktor Yanukovych has met Leader of China Hu Jintao, who has arrived in Ukraine on a state visit, according to the Press office of President Viktor Yanukovych.
"Your visit is a landmark event for our country and the Ukrainian people," Viktor Yanukovych said, welcoming the guest to Ukraine.
Viktor Yanukovych stressed that a new page in Ukrainian-Chinese relations is being opened today just as the two Heads of State had decided at their meeting last year.
For his part, the Leader of China noted that this is his third meeting with the President of Ukraine since 2010. He expressed the belief that regular contacts between the leaderships of both countries are an evidence of mutual great attention to the development of Ukrainian-Chinese relations.
Hu Jintao said China and Ukraine are linked by friendly relations that have been developing steadily since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the states.
"The parties have effective political, economic, humanitarian, scientific and technical cooperation, as well as at the international scene. This cooperation and interaction would yield great results," the Leader of China said.
"You and the government of Ukraine consider the development of relations with China as a foreign policy priority of your country. This fact is appreciated greatly in China," he said.
The Leader of China stressed that strengthening and developing relations between the two countries in the context of strategic partnership "is a steady course of the Chinese government." Hu Jintao said the Chinese side is ready to make continued efforts in this direction. "I am deeply convinced that my current visit will give additional impetus to the development of Ukrainian-Chinese relations," he said.
