MOSCOW, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Russia and China's joint commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War underscores their profound friendship and shared commitment to preserving historical truth, a senior Russian official has said.

The joint commemoration "once again reflects the level of mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation that has been developed between our countries," Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Both the Soviet and Chinese peoples made immense sacrifices for this victory," Novikov said, noting that China made a national sacrifice of over 35 million casualties in its fight against the majority troops of Japanese militarism, so that "victory over Japanese militarism would be possible, the World War II could end, and the people of Asia could gain freedom and an opportunity to pursue their own development path, free from any forces seeking global hegemony."

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Novikov said that as permanent members of the UN Security Council, both Russia and China advocate for a multipolar world.

The two countries support a fair and multilateral world where any nation or people, regardless of whether it has a strong economy or a powerful army, will feel equally confident, Novikov said.

On bilateral ties, Novikov said that recent history has demonstrated that the peoples of Russia and China have solid grounds to deepen their cooperation, address development challenges and counter various external challenges.

The development of Russia-China bilateral relations is inseparable from the personal efforts of the two countries' leaders, Novikov said.

He highlighted the great significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Russia, saying that close interactions between the two countries' heads of state will further elevate cooperation and exchanges between the two nations. ■