BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping and visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Years of Education at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday.

Addressing the event, Xi said that China-Russia educational cooperation has continued to deepen and yielded notable results over the years, enriching the connotation of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Taking the China-Russia Years of Education as an opportunity, the two sides should further build consensus on cooperation, expand areas of cooperation and elevate the level of cooperation, Xi said.

Xi called for deepening cooperation in talent cultivation and jointly tackling challenges in frontier science to facilitate the two countries' innovation drive and development.

He also stressed the need to practice the notion of mutual learning between civilizations, promote the exchange of experience in educational governance, and carry on traditional friendship to further unleash the potential of educational cooperation to promote mutual understanding and bonds among the two peoples.

Putin, who is on a state visit to China, said the launch of the Russia-China Years of Education is of milestone significance.

Through strengthening educational cooperation, Russia stands ready to work with China to enhance mutual understanding between the younger generations of the two countries, ensure the cause of Russia-China friendship is passed on from generation to generation, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, he said.