China, Russia set prime example of new form of international, good-neighborly relations between two major countries

Home>>

China, Russia set prime example of new form of international, good-neighborly relations between two major countries

By He Yin (People's Daily) 10:49, May 21, 2024

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the China-Russia diplomatic relations. It is an important milestone year in the history of China-Russia relations.

On May 16, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who was on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The most important conclusion drawn from the 75-year history of China-Russia relations is that two neighboring major countries must always promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, respect each other on an equal footing, trust each other, accommodate each other's concerns, and truly provide mutual assistance for the development and revitalization of both sides, Xi noted.

This is not only the correct way for China and Russia to get along, but also the direction that major-country relations should strive for in the 21st century, Xi said.

His important remarks have charted the course for the future development of China-Russia relations.

Head-of-state diplomacy is leading the all-round development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era.

The two presidents have held over 40 meetings, maintaining close communication and offering strategic guidance on promoting healthy and stable development of bilateral relations between China and Russia.

This time, Xi and Putin had a candid and fruitful discussion. They had a comprehensive review of the successful experience in developing the China-Russia relationship, and had an in-depth exchange of views on the relationship as well as major international and regional issues of mutual interest, charting the course forward for their cooperation across the board.

The two heads of state signed and issued the Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era in the Context of the 75th Anniversary of China-Russia Diplomatic Relations.

They also witnessed the signing of a number of important intergovernmental and interagency cooperation documents, injecting new, strong impetus into the sound development of China-Russia relations.

China and Russia will uphold the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party, continue to deepen two-way political trust, respect each other's choice of development path, and realize development and revitalization with each other's firm support.

In the past three quarters of a century, the China-Russia relationship has grown stronger amidst wind and rain. China and Russia together have found a new path for major and neighboring countries to treat each other with respect and pursue amity and mutually beneficial cooperation. The China-Russia relationship has become a prime example of a new form of international relations as well as good-neighborly relations between two major countries.

The notable progress in China-Russia relations is attributable to the two countries' commitment to five principles.

First, China and Russia are committed to mutual respect as the fundamental principle of relations, and always render support for each other's core interests.

Second, China and Russia are committed to win-win cooperation as the driving force of relations, and work to foster a new paradigm of mutual benefit.

Third, China and Russia are committed to lasting friendship as the foundation of relations, and carry forward the torch of Sino-Russian friendship.

Fourth, China and Russia are committed to strategic coordination as an underpinning of relations, and steer global governance in the right direction.

Fifth, China and Russia are committed to fairness and justice as the purpose of relations, and dedicated to the political settlement of hotspots.

With the concerted efforts of the two sides, China-Russia relations have been moving forward steadily, with enhanced comprehensive strategic coordination and further cooperation on economy and trade, investment, energy, people-to-people exchanges, at the subnational level and in other fields. This has made positive contributions to maintaining global strategic stability and promoting greater democracy in international relations.

The two sides will take the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic ties as a new starting point, further synergize development strategies, and continue to enrich the bilateral cooperation, to bring greater benefits to the two countries and peoples, and contribute more positive energy to world prosperity and stability.

The two countries need to make further structural improvements to their cooperation, and consolidate the good momentum in trade and other traditional areas of cooperation.

Last year, China-Russia two-way trade exceeded $240 billion, close to 2.7 times that of a decade ago. This is a good indication of the all-round cooperation of mutual benefit that continues to deepen between the two countries.

The two countries need to look for areas where their interests converge, tap into their comparative strengths, deepen the integration of interests, and enable each other's success.