Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that his country and China are diversifying trade and exploring new cooperation areas in joint pursuit of a more productive partnership amid a challenging global landscape.

"We see each other as close allies, so of course we always listen to each other - by this I mean we keep each other's interests in mind," Putin said in an hourlong exclusive interview with Xinhua President Cai Mingzhao in St Petersburg.

Recalling that the two countries established a strategic partnership two decades ago and signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation 15 years ago, Putin said mutual trust between them has reached an unprecedented level and laid a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation.