2009-06-18 05:26:55  

    MOSCOW, June 17 (Xinhua) --

China and Russia Wednesday signed a five-point statement on bilateral relations and mutual cooperation.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and the meeting of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) in Yekaterinburg in central Russia on June 15 and June 16. He arrived in Moscow Tuesday for a three-day state visit.

    CHINA-RUSSIA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP OF COOPERATION

    Hu, who is on a state visit to Russia, discussed the current situation and prospect of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev. The two leaders held in-depth exchange of views on major international and regional issues and reached broad consensus. 

    The two sides are satisfied with the development of the Sino-Russian relations in the past year.

    China and Russia thoroughly completed the boundary demarcation work between them in 2008, and ratified the Action Plan to Implement the China-Russia Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness and Cooperation (2009-2012).

    The two countries have launched energy negotiations at Vice-Premier level and signed an inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in the field of crude oil.

    The two leaders stressed that mutual supports on issues related to their core interests are an important part of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

    The Russian side reiterated that Taiwan and Tibet are inalienable parts of the Chinese territory. Russia will not change its stand on the issues concerning Taiwan and Tibet and will support the peaceful development of the cross-Straits relations and China's peaceful reunification.

    The two sides emphasized that mutual supports on issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity are of vital importance. The Chinese side backed Russia's efforts in maintaining peace and stability in the region of Caucasus.

    DOMESTIC ECONOMIC SITUATION, GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

    Both sides agreed that the current global financial crisis has triggered turbulence and instability in the international financial market and in the world's trade and economy, posing grave challenges to the economic growth of the two countries.

    China and Russia shared the same or similar viewpoints and stance on the root cause of the current crisis, and the reform of the global financial system and the international financial institution.

    Guided by the principle of equality and mutual benefits, nations around the world and international organizations should forge the broadest possible cooperation in politics, trade and economy and finance in a bid to overcome the financial crisis.

    It is of special significance to try to unleash the maximum potential of various regional institutions and organizations and raise the financial market controllability.

    The two leaders agreed to oppose global trade protectionism, saying the global financial system in the post-crisis era should be fair, equitable, inclusive and well-managed.

    They also said that a new round of the IMF quota formula review and the reform schemes of the World Bank should be completed on time and that the emerging markets and developing countries should have a bigger say and broader representation in the international financial institutions.

    The two sides stressed the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation in reforming the global financial system and in dealing with the fallout from the crisis.

    A downward trend has been recorded in the trade volume, two-way investment and border trade between China and Russia due to the global financial crisis, they said. The two leaders agreed that China and Russia should work together to mitigate the negative impact of the crisis on bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

    The two leaders signed a draft plan of the China-Russia investment cooperation, pledging to earnestly implement the draft plan and encourage enterprises of the two countries to carry out pragmatic cooperation in such areas as mechanical manufacturing, construction, the light industry, transportation, agriculture, communication, bank and insurance, technology, energy, the chemical industry, forestry and mining.

    The two sides also made great efforts to work out a draft plan on the cooperation between northeast China and Russia's Far East and East Siberia regions.

    The two leaders urged the relevant departments of the two countries to wrap up consultation at an early date on the draft plan, so that the plan could be submitted for approval when the heads of state of the two countries meet at the end of 2009.

    The two leaders also spoke highly of the energy negotiation mechanisms between China and Russia and the inter-governmental agreement on oil cooperation signed by the two countries.

    The two countries have been pushing forward all-round cooperation in oil, natural gas, nuclear power and electricity, which has raised the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation to a new high, they said.

    The two sides also discussed nuclear power cooperation, one of their priorities for economic cooperation. They will launch the construction of the second phase of the Tianwan nuclear power project and the fast reactors for commercial purposes.

    China and Russia should strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in civil aviation manufacturing as well as in related projects that comply with the market needs and the civil aircraft development plan, they added.

Editor: Yan

Chinese, Russian presidents attend celebration marking 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations

2009-06-18 09:05:24  

·60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Russian diplomatic ties marked in Moscow. ·Hu raised a four-point proposal for developing the China-Russian ties. ·Medvedev said two countries have set up an exemplary, brand new pattern of cooperation.

    MOSCOW, June 17 (Xinhua) --

Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Dimitry Medvedev Wednesday attended a celebration to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

    The two leaders reviewed the development of bilateral ties during the past 60 years and spoke highly of the great achievements made since the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation in 1996.

    They expressed the hope that people from all walks of life will maintain the friendship for generations and deepen the strategic cooperation so as to a create brilliant prospect for bilateral relations.

    In a speech to the audience in the world famous Bolishoi Theatre of Russia, Hu extended congratulations and best wishes to the Russian people.

    The China-Russia relationship has gone through an extraordinary course of development during the past 60 years, which also saw increasingly mature bilateral political relations, Hu said.

    Leaders of the two countries, proceeding from a long-term perspective, decided to establish the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation in April 1996. The China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation has evolved into a mature, stable and sound relationship and bilateral political mutual trust has reached a new high, Hu said.

    The last 60 years have witnessed abundant achievements of practical cooperation between China and Russia, deeper friendship between the two peoples, and enhanced bilateral cooperation on international affairs, he said.

    The past experience has indicated that only with mutual trust and sincerity can the bilateral political relations be deepened; only through mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit can the parties benefit most from the cooperation and realize common prosperity, Hu said.

    "Only through mutual understanding and support can both sides support each other on issues of core interests and effectively safeguard their own interests; only by seeking common ground while reserving differences can both parties ensure their long-term relations developing in a sound and steady manner, " Hu said.

    Hu said the world is undergoing major changes and restructuring. China and Russia, which are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, are facing the top task of domestic development and also shoulder the historic mission of promoting world peace and development.

    Under the new circumstances, the China-Russia relations have been at a new historical starting point, facing a new opportunity of development, Hu said.

    "We will make joint efforts to set an objective for the long-term development of the Sino-Russian relations and push for a sound and rapid development of the bilateral ties," Hu said.

    The Chinese president raised a four-point proposal for developing the China-Russian ties.

    First, the two sides should demonstrate sincerity and maintain mutual trust, and consolidate the political basis for the China-Russia relations, he said.

    Second, the two sides should uphold the principle of mutual benefit for a win-win situation, so as to strengthen the economic foundation for bilateral relations.

    Third, China and Russia should carry forward the friendly ties from generation to generation, so as to lay a solid social foundation for the China-Russia relations.

    Fourth, both sides should maintain close cooperation to firmly safeguard the strategic security interests of China and Russia.

    Medvedev recalled in the speech that precisely one day after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the two countries established diplomatic ties.

    He said the Russia-China relations are currently undergoing rapid development, as the two countries have set up an exemplary, brand new pattern of cooperation based on independence and equality.

    Such an exemplary relationship is of vital importance to not only the two countries, but also the entire world, said Medvedev.

    The unique and good-neighborly relations between Russia and China have made great contribution to the establishment of a new international order, to the strengthened momentum of multipolarization, to the respect for the development patterns independently chosen by countries, and to the compliance with the international law, he said.

    Both sides have further expanded the social basis for their strategic partnership of cooperation by launching large-scale cooperation projects and reciprocal national theme year activities, Medvedev said.

    The exchange of youths between the two countries will ensure that the Russian-China friendship will be passed on from generation to generation, he added.

    Russia is willing to deepen its relations with China in all spheres, said Medvedev.

    The two leaders then watched spectacular performances by Chinese and Russian artists together with some 900 people from both sides.

    Prior to the celebration, Hu presented medals and credentials to 60 Russians including Medvedev and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for their great contributions to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-Russian diplomatic ties.

China, Russia to deepen economic cooperation despite global financial crisis: official

2009-06-18 05:28:58  

    MOSCOW, June 17 (Xinhua) --

The economic and trade cooperation between China and Russia will continue to expand despite the negative impacts of the international financial crisis, Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said here on Wednesday.

    Chen, who is accompanying Chinese President Hu Jintao on a state visit to Russia, told a briefing that the trade and economic ties between the two countries have developed smoothly in recent years.

    The trade between the two countries recorded an average annual growth rate of about 30 percent during the past 10 years and bilateral trade volume reached 56.8 billion U.S. dollars last year, Chen said.

    Two-way investment has also been growing rapidly, Chen said, noting that China's investment in Russia in the first quarter of this year accounted for more than 40 percent of the total last year.

    Meanwhile, the two sides have made great progress in large-scale cooperation projects in the fields of oil, gas and nuclear energy, said the minister, adding that bilateral cooperation on high-tech also continued to deepen.

    However, the China-Russia trade declined in the first three months of this year due to the current global financial crisis, Chen said.

    The two sides will make joint efforts to oppose trade protectionism and China will support Russia's bid for membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO), he said.

    Chen said the two countries will speed up the economic restructuring and change the model of economic growth. He also called for creating conditions for facilitating trade, higher customs clearance efficiency and lower cost, as well as better investment environment.

    According to Chen, China mainly exports machinery, light industrial products and textile to Russia, while Russia's exports to China primarily include crude oil, natural gas and lumber.

    He said that it will take time for both sides to improve such a trade pattern, which reflects the advantages and characteristics of the two countries' economies. 

Editor: Yan