MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russian-Chinese relations are as good as ever thanks to the two countries’ leaders, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Friday.

"Obviously, President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin and President [of China] Xi Jinping play the most important role in the development of comprehensive relations, all-round partnership and strategic cooperation between our countries. They set the tone and direction for the development of our relations and thanks to their good personal ties our relations are really unprecedentedly high now," Ivan Melnikov, first deputy speaker of the Russian State Duma (lower parliament house) and head of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society, said at a meeting with visiting chair of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) Lin Songtian.

According to Melnikov, the State Duma is making a huge contribution to the development of partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China. "And not only between the parliaments. The State Duma, the State Duma speaker and all the factions offer real assistance to the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society," he added.