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Chinese, Russian presidents discuss deeper co-op
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-10 23:32
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TASHKENT - Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev met here Thursday and declared they were ready to further advance bilateral relations and cooperation.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Hu said there had been all-round progress in China-Russia relations in the first half of this year. Noting this was the two presidents' third meeting so far this year, Hu said they had reached consensus on deepening bilateral relations in many areas.
Hu met Medvedev in Moscow last month as Russia marked the 65th anniversary of its victory in the Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany.
Hu said bilateral relations would see a number of major events in the second half of this year. He said that, first of all, the two countries should make good arrangements for high-level contacts in this period, including Medvedev's visit to China and the regular meeting of prime ministers of the two countries.
Hu said the coming visit to China by Medvedev would be a major event in bilateral relations and government departments were working to ensure a total success of the visit.
Secondly, Hu said the two sides should work to advance cooperation in such areas as trade, the economy, energy and local government to lift the level of practical cooperation and achieve more results.
Thirdly, he said the two countries should continue to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges by holding "Chinese Language Year" activities in Russia to consolidate the social foundation for developing ties.
The Chinese president also pointed out three aspects of work to focus on for the SCO in the future.
He said that, firstly, solidarity and mutual trust should be continuously deepened to lay solid political foundations for the sound and healthy development of the organization and to upgrade the level of regional cooperation.
Secondly, SCO member countries should stick to security and pragmatic cooperation as priorities to achieve more concrete results and to benefit the people in all member states, Hu said.
Thirdly, he said the SCO, upon strengthening its own capability, should carry out external exchanges and cooperation to boost its international status and influence.
The Chinese leader said the SCO would mark its 10th anniversary next year, and that celebrations should be arranged as early as possible. He hoped it would be a chance to add new impetus to the development of the organization.
China was willing to work with Russia to continue to strengthen coordination to boost the sound and healthy development of the SCO, Hu said.
He was also confident that the China-Russia relations of strategic cooperation and partnership would achieve new development and reach new level with the joint efforts of both sides.
Medvedev also hailed the development of his country's relations of strategic cooperation and partnership with China.
Russia would join hands with China to further deepen bilateral ties, expand trade cooperation, boost cultural and humanitarian exchanges and cooperation, Medvedev said.
Russia was also working with China in organizing "Chinese Language Year" activities in Russia, promoting contacts and coordination in regional and international issues, and maintaining coordination under the framework of the SCO to safeguard the peace and stability of the region as well as of the world at large, Medvedev said.
The Russian leader said he was looking forward to a visit to China this autumn during which he would continue to exchange views with Chinese leaders on boosting cooperation and other issues of common concern.
The two countries have developed a mechanism for high-level contact, under which the leaders have kept close communication and reached important consensus on deepening cooperation in all areas. The mechanism has helped advance bilateral relations to new levels.
The relationship between China and Russia has witnessed consistently rapid growth this year. The two sides have carried out close communication and coordination on the international and regional issues of reform of the United Nations, nuclear arms on the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear program and the situation in Central Asia.
Bilateral trade totaled $38.8 billion in 2009. China has so far made more than $1.3 billion worth of direct investment in Russia, while the latter has set up more than 2,000 investment projects in China.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have become increasingly active. Russia is now carrying out a year-long activity to promote the Chinese language among its people. China held a similar Russian language activity last year.
Exchanges at local levels between the two countries are on the rise. Some 94 provinces and cities in China have formed a friend-city relationship with their Russian counterparts.
The growing contact between the business, academic, women and youth circles also has helped enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.
The mechanism of high-level contact has become a convenient channel for the two countries to strengthen communication and coordination on major and sensitive issues in bilateral, regional and multilateral dimensions. It has played an important role in advancing the China-Russia relations of strategic cooperation and partnership in an all-round way.