Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) presents the Order of Friendship to the Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui in the Kremlin on May 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Qu Haiqi)

MOSCOW, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the Order of Friendship to the Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui on Thursday at a ceremony in the Kremlin.

Li said the order is not only an honor for himself, but it also represents the friendship between the Russian and the Chinese people.

Putin signed a presidential decree earlier this month awarding Li with the honor for his contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as his fruitful work on the convergence and mutual enrichment of their cultures.

The Order of Friendship is a Russian state decoration to reward those who contribute significantly to better relations and closer cooperation between peoples and nations.

At the ceremony, Putin also presented orders, medals and badges to more than 30 others.