MOSCOW, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The life of Russian veteran Vasily Ivanov was bound to China when he fought the Japanese alongside Chinese soldiers 65 years ago in Northeast China.

"I have been awarded over 40 medals of honor and the medals I treasure most were the three given by the Chinese government," he told Xinhua in the run-up to Sunday's Victory Day Parade at Moscow's Red Square for the 65th anniversary of the victory of World War II.

The three medals given by China are a Friendship Medal, a World War II Victory Medal and a medal conceded by Chinese President Hu Jintao to mark his contributions to the 60th anniversary of the Sino-Russian relations.

Ivanov, a 89-year-old veteran and the first vice president of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Association, first went to China six decades ago, where he helped to train soldiers in Northeast China who fought Japanese aggressors. He himself also joined the battlefront.

Having left his footprint in the vast area in the Northeast, he witnessed several Chinese cities liberated from foreign occupation.

"I saw and felt sad about the Chinese people's miserable life under the ravage of Japanese force, which reminded me the same scenario happened in some Soviet cities occupied by Nazi Germany," he said.

Life was hard for the Chinese people, yet they were quite friendly to the Soviet Red Army. People would hold banners to welcome Soviet soldiers and invite them for dumplings, said Ivanov.

"From then on, Chinese people's friendship and warm smiles have been imprinted on my mind," he added.

Last year, Ivanov was invited to Beijing to watch China's National Day Parade on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic.

"I can't fully express my amazement to the great changes China has achieved in recent decades. I am very glad to see China has become a strong and modernized country," he said.

Ivanov's love for China could be traced by various decorations at his home, like Chinese paintings, Chinese knots, blue and white porcelain and red lanterns.

"I bought most of these in China, while some were gifts from my Chinese friends," he said.

Ivanov worked in China between 1970 and 1974 as the military attache in the Soviet's embassy, when he began to learn Chinese language, through which he fell in love with Chinese culture.

Though retired for many years, he is still an active advocate for Russia-China friendship, he said, adding that he would love to enjoy Chinese green tea and invite friends to go for Chinese food in spare time.