MOSCOW -- President Xi Jinping left here Saturday after paying a state visit to Russia and attending the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

During bilateral meetings with leaders of several countries here Friday on the sidelines of the Victory Day celebrations, Xi reaffirmed China's commitment to enhancing cooperation and strengthening ties with these countries, and emphasized the importance of upholding multilateralism and working together to address global challenges.

REMEMBERING HISTORY

On Friday, the Chinese president joined his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and leaders from more than 20 countries and international organizations to lay red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The solemn ceremony marked a moment of remembering and paying tribute to those who perished in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The Soviet Union was the principal theater of World War II in Europe, losing 27 million lives, while China was the main theater in Asia, suffering 35 million casualties in its resistance against the bulk of Japanese militarist forces.

Together, the two countries were the mainstay of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

This was the second time for Xi to attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations. Ten years ago, he traveled to Moscow for the 70th anniversary. In the same year, Putin also attended China's Victory Day parade on Sept 3 in Beijing to commemorate the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The past decade has been one of profound turbulence and transformation in the international landscape, Xi noted when meeting the press with Putin on Thursday.

In the face of the changes of the world, of the times and of historical significance, China and Russia should keep a firm grasp on the development direction of bilateral ties and the general trend of the development of human society, Xi said, calling for greater joint efforts in safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Ahead of Xi's visit, Russian media published the Chinese leader's signed article titled "Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future."

"Indeed, historical memory and truth will not fade with the passage of time. They serve as inspirations that mirror the present and illuminate the future. We must learn from history, especially the hard lessons of the Second World War," he wrote.