Opinion / Commentary

Pragmatism a major feature of Putin visit
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-03-22 06:04

Day one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to China was capped by the signing of 15 agreements. Some more accords are to be inked today.

Short as it may be, his visit is rich in both symbolism and pragmatism.

The symbolistic nature of it could be seen in the grand ceremony for China's Year of Russia in the Great Hall of the People last night, officially kicking off a 12-month festival that aims to encourage non-governmental exchanges between the two countries.

The beauty and elegance of the Russian opera singers and ballet dancers presented last night added vivid illustration to our observations of the neighbour that produced Alexander Pushkin, S.S. Prokofiev, Mariinski Theater among many others.

A judo master himself, the Russian president will visit Shaolin Temple today, one of the birthplaces of martial arts in China.

The short visit gives Putin a chance to better know this country.

Russia's foreign affairs officials predict four summits between heads of the two states this year. Their Beijing meeting will be followed by talks at Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in June, Apec in Viet Nam and at the G-8 Summit in Russia.

Still, Putin's ongoing visit is pragmatic, marked by the comprehensive co-operation the two countries have been working hard on.

With sweet-talking diplomacy turning into concrete developments, the two countries delivered accords on such fields of interest as energy co-operation, foreign affairs, investment, telecommunication, communications and banking.

A joint declaration by President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart touched upon the vast potential inherent in the bilateral energy ties, saying the two countries deem energy co-operation as the important part of their strategic partnership.

A landmark agreement with China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), the country's biggest energy firm, under which Russian gas giant Gazprom would build two gas pipelines reportedly at a cost of up to US$10 billion gives concrete shape to the joint declaration.

On the much-anticipated oil pipeline, CNPC and Russian firm Transneft signed a deal confirming a joint feasibility study on a spur to China of the US$11.5 billion East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline, to be completed in 2008.

The deals would add great momentum to bilateral trade.

Trade between China and Russia has grown steadily since the late 1980s, when the two countries ended two decades of hostility and declared the birth of a strategic partnership.

The bilateral trade is dominated by Russia's energy and raw material supplies to China, while Russia also asks China to import technology from it.

As long as the two countries open their markets wider to each other, the investments will be more fairly balanced and cover more areas such as infrastructure facilities, oil and gas exploitation and high-end technologies.

Both the symbolic and pragmatic nature of the visit is of significance to the China-Russia relations.

Frequent talks between leaders of the two countries have built a tacit mutual understanding and trust. The meeting between Hu and Putin in 2004 was crowned by the signing of a historic agreement on border demarcation. Freeing the two countries of the historical mire of the bilateral relations, it has taken the ties to an unparalleled high level.

The development of a stable China-Russia relationship is one of the most important stories in global politics and strategic affairs.

The two countries find it in their strategic interest to improve relations. This enhanced relationship is manifested in their participation in the SCO, the strengthening of their military relations, improved economic ties and substantial energy commitments. Their diplomatic stances are always similar.

The deals the two countries have sealed and are going to seal are clear evidence of the two countries' intention to boost trade, which remains insufficiently developed.

(China Daily 03/22/2006 page4)