Chinese President Hu Jintao is now in Moscow to attend the summit
meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the
300th anniversary ceremony of the establishment of St. Petersburg.
It is widely thought that Hu's visit marks a new stage of
development of
Sino-Russian
relations as a strategic partnership of cooperation.
Bilateral Ties to Deepen
Since the early 1990s, Sino-Russian relations keep reaching new
heights. First came the normalization of bilateral ties, followed
by the establishment of good-neighborly relations. Then a
constructive partnership was promoted to a strategic partnership
for cooperation. Every step has indicated growing political trust,
expanding cooperation in areas of common interest, and enhanced
friendly relations.
Entering the new century, leaders of both countries have made
farsighted policy decisions with a view to setting up a
relationship where China and Russia can remain firm friends rather
than enemies. In July 2001, former Chinese President Jiang Zemin
and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Sino-Russian
Good-neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Moscow,
declaring the two countries to be "good neighbors, good friends and
good partners" forever. While giving a summation of previous
cooperation, the treaty points the way forward for future
development of bilateral ties with a legal basis.
Overall Sino-Russian relations at present, which are developing
steadily, keep up with the times and are in the fundamental
interest between the two peoples.
First, political cooperation channels between both sides are sound
and fruitful. Presidents and premiers of both countries meet
regularly every year to discuss and decide policies on significant
issues of bilateral cooperation. This has become the most important
channel to constantly promote and improve bilateral ties. Hot-line
telephone conversations between leaders of both countries have
further perfected this flexible and effective channel. All told,
each year there is an exchange of over 100 delegations from
legislative bodies, government authorities, political parties,
administrative organs at the local level, and non-governmental
organizations of both countries. These working visits and friendly
exchanges are conducive not only to the settlement of relevant
issues but also to advance mutual understanding and trust.
Second, both sides have managed multi-form cooperation in economy
and trade, and achieved remarkable success. Economic cooperation
between China and Russia has made much headway in the past decade.
Trade volume went up to US$12 billion in 2002 from some US$1
billion in 1991 when the Russian Federation proclaimed
independence. Bilateral trade in 2003 still maintains good momentum
for growth. The first two months saw a trade volume of over US$2
billion, 37 percent up, of which Russia's export volume to China
increased by 27 percent, and China's export volume to Russia by 66
percent.
There is a gradual increase in mutual investment projects in the
processing industry, resource development, tourism and
transportation. Accordingly, cooperative environments have been
significantly improved. In particular, Russia has participated in
China's nuclear power plant construction and the project to
transport gas from the west to the east. In addition, the oil
pipeline from Angarsk in Russia to Daqing in China will soon be
built. All together will give an impetus to the economic
cooperation of both countries.
Third, there are great possibilities for all-round cultural
exchange. Through the good work of the Sino-Russian Committee for
Peace, Friendship and Development, universities and scientific
research institutes of the two countries have had frequent contacts
in recent years. Bilateral cooperation in such areas as the
aerospace industry, oceanic mining, nuclear energy, chemical
industries and composite material has achieved positive results.
Multilevel exchanges in higher education, sports, culture and
hygiene have become institutionalized.
Fourth, security cooperation provides a powerful guarantee for the
stability of its borders. China and Russia share a boundary line of
over 4,300 kilometers. A firm foundation of bilateral relations
depends on stability and security in the border area. While
carrying out the concluded boundary treaty on the eastern and
western sectors, both countries are vigorously searching for an
acceptable way to demarcate the remaining boundaries. Through the
legal management by frontier guards and border administrative
departments, the common boundary has become a tie for peace,
friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Facing the Challenge of Reality
A
significant area of Sino-Russian strategic partnership is
cooperation in international affairs. Facing the dramatic changes
in the existing international order and the threats of terrorism,
both China and Russia, out of the consideration for safeguarding
world peace, have advocated that the authority of the United
Nations should be strengthened and the UN should play the role of
leadership in promoting common security for various countries. It
is based on this common outlook that the two countries have been in
close touch with each other and cooperating in the handling of many
important international issues. For instance, both countries demand
that the reconstruction of post-war Iraq should be under the
auspices of the UN, against the United State's abuse of power. The
UN resolution on post-war administration and reconstruction adopted
recently can be said to be a product of joint efforts of various
sides including China and Russia urging the US to compromise.
In
respect of the international efforts against terrorism, the two
sides show sympathy for and understanding of US and support the
essential anti-terrorist action taken by the US on the one hand; on
the other hand, however, they are opposed to the US resorting to
force for solving security issues. China and Russia also hold
similar views in terms of cutting down strategic weapons,
preventing the proliferation of massive anti-personnel weapons,
cracking down on drug smuggling and transnational crime,
safeguarding security of space and environment and other issues
involving world peace and development. All this has laid a solid
foundation for the two countries to conduct strategic cooperation
at a higher level and in a wider area.
Enhancing Security in Surrounding Areas
Just like in other international organizations, the two countries
have been closely cooperating in the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO), which is an important factor guaranteeing the
consolidation and development of the SCO. The purpose of
establishing the SCO was first of all to strengthen regional
security and stability and guarantee the Sino-Russian border as
well as Central Asia and neighboring regions against any form of
extremist and terrorist threat. Building on this, to expand
cooperation among member states in politics, economics and trade,
science and technology, culture and education, and other sectors
promoting mutual development.
The process of the "Shanghai Five" developing into the SCO is a
process for China and Russia to conduct constructive cooperation
with other member states. Declaration of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization issued on June 15, 2001 pointed out that the "Shanghai
Spirit", featuring "mutual trust and benefit, equality,
consultation, mutual respect to different civilizations and common
prosperity" is a valuable asset accumulated through member states'
cooperation in recent years and should be carried forward and
developed into the principles for bilateral and multilateral
relations of the SCO countries.
As
two big countries and founding members of the SCO, China and Russia
have not only observed the spirit of cooperation when handling
bilateral relations but also carried forward the spirit inside the
SCO to jointly create a sound cooperative atmosphere, enabling the
SCO to have made remarkable achievements in internal construction
and safeguarding regional security. Such achievements have aroused
the attention of many international organizations including the
United Nations and its anti-terrorism commission, ASEAN, Conference
on Security and Cooperation in Europe and European Union. India and
Pakistan have recently showed their intention of joining the
SCO.
At
the third summit meeting of the SCO, Chinese President Hu Jintao
and his counterparts from other member states will discuss a series
of legal documents concerning organizational construction to
improve the setup of the working body of the organization, making
it a viable international organization so as to play its due role
in safeguarding regional security and development and promoting
world peace.
(China.org.cn, translated by Chen Qiuping and Shao Da, May 27,
2003)