Trade ties and greater energy cooperation will be a priority during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to China, which started on Sunday, with more than 10 key agreements set to be signed.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets Chinese World War Ⅱveterans in Lushun, Liaoning province, on Sunday.

Medvedev arrived in Northeast China's port city of Dalian, starting his second official visit since assuming the presidency in May 2008.

In recognition of the close ties between the two countries, Medvedev visited a memorial in Dalian commemorating Soviet soldiers who died fighting Japanese invaders in China.

"Friendship with China is Russia's strategic choice, it's a choice that was sealed by blood years ago," Medvedev told Russian and Chinese war veterans, who participated in China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945).

"The friendship between the Russian and Chinese people, cemented by the military events, will be indestructible and do good for our future generations," he said.