(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-23 22:16

BEIJING  -- China and Russia signed a joint statement here Friday, vowing to strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism in any form.

Condemning terrorism in any form, the two countries believe terrorism is seeking ideological expansion and has even closer ties with transnational organized crimes and drug trafficking. Both sides expressed concern over that, the statement says.

The two sides called on the international community to jointly combat terrorism in multilateral frameworks on the basis of the UN Charter and recognized principles on international relations, it says.

China and Russia are committed to strengthening UN's coordination role in combating terrorism and facing up to other new threats and challenges, according to the statement.

They called on the international community to fulfill UN's important anti-terrorism documents including UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and promote early consensus on a Draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

The two countries vowed to take positive measures, mobilize social forces including non-governmental organizations and personages in industrial circles, to curb terrorism thoughts and eliminate new threats and challenges, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, China and Russia reiterated that they would enhance cooperation in multilateral frameworks including Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN Regional Forum and APEC, in a bid to fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and crimes.

Both sides vowed to continue efforts to build a partner network for international and regional organizations and their anti-terrorism organs in the Asia-Pacific region, the statement says.

The Sino-Russian joint statement on major international issues was signed by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russia's new president Dmitry Medvedev, during the latter's state visit to China.