China and Russia have agreed to reduce the number of their troops guarding the border.

China’s Xinhua news agency reported that Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached the agreement in a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.

The two leaders also said in a joint statement that their countries will further boost friendship and cooperation in the military field and hold joint military exercises to maintain peace and stability in the region.

China’s Vice President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Li Keqiang also reaffirmed efforts to further enhance strategic cooperative relationships with Russia in a meeting with Putin in Wednesday.