Premier's visit strengthens relations
Meng Yan  Updated: 2004-09-27 08:26

MOSCOW: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on Saturday that Premier Wen Jiabao's visits to Kyrgyzstan and Russia have promoted mutual political trust, economic and trade co-operation and consolidated a good-neighbourly relationship.

"It is a complete success," said Li, who accompanied the premier during his visit to the two countries and attended the third meeting of prime ministers at the Shanghai Co-operation Organization's (SCO) member states.

During Wen's visits, China signed 13 bilateral documents and nine multilateral ones, covering politics, security, economy and trade, science and technology and culture.

The foreign minister said Wen's visit strengthened China's ties with Kyrgyzstan and Russia, and helped promote co-operation within the SCO, which was founded in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Li said Wen and Russian leaders had pledged to work together to expand and deepen their strategic partnership of co-operation by enhancing political mutual trust, maintaining fast growth of economic and trade ties, expanding mutual investment, pushing for energy and technological co-operation, promoting local and border exchanges, and strengthening cultural exchanges.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would not waver from its decision to conduct energy co-operation with China, according to the foreign minister.

The two countries have agreed to increase overland oil trade, raising oil deliveries from Russia to China by rail to 10 million tons next year and 15 million tons in 2006.

They have also decided to work on plans to explore natural gas together as soon as possible.

The two countries recognized each other's full market economy status during Wen's visit to Russia.

Li said China and Russia would enhance their strategic co-operation in dealing with international affairs and pushing for multi-lateralism and the democratization of international relations.

The two sides also vowed to strengthen security consultation and co-operation in fighting terrorism.

Li said the Chinese premier had underscored the importance of Sino-Russian technological co-operation and exchanges between youth.

Talking about Wen's visit to Kyrgyzstan, Li said the two sides had agreed to expand co-operation in transport, energy, agriculture, food processing, electric machinery, aviation, textiles and finance.

They promised to strengthen co-ordination and co-operation in combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, vowing to continue to carry out strong measures in jointly fighting the so-called "Eastern Turkistan" terrorist group.

The two countries signed a compendium on their co-operation in the coming decade, setting priorities in politics, security, trade, communication, energy and humanitarian areas.

China and Kyrgyzstan also signed a protocol on border surveys, marking a settlement of their border issue.

Turning to the SCO prime ministers meeting, Li said Wen and other government leaders of the organization's member states had reached agreement that security and trade have become the primary tasks of the organization.

(China Daily)

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