The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the United Russian Party started a seminar on Friday in a bid to exchange views on international situation and promote bilateral ties.

The two-day seminar, participated by more than 70 party leaders, scholars and government officials, is also one of the nearly 200 activities to be held this year to mark the "Year of China" in Russia.

"We will strengthen exchange and cooperation with our Russian colleagues and contribute to the development of China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation." Wang Lequan, member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau told the United Russian Chairman Boris Gryzlov in an early Friday meeting.

Wang, also party secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Gryzlov, also speaker of the State Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament, agreed to stimulate Chinese-Russian cooperation in various sectors, especially in trade and economic fields.