Members of the
China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee Wednesday
pledged to further promote non-governmental exchanges and
cooperation in a comprehensive way.
Proposed by leaders of
the two countries, the committee was established in 1997, with the
aim of deepening mutual understanding and traditional friendship,
promoting good-neighborly cooperation, and consolidating and
expanding the social foundation for the
Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.
The committee held its
fifth plenary meeting in Beijing yesterday. It completed
re-election of committee members before the meeting.
The previous four
plenary meetings of the non-governmental organization were held
alternately in Beijing and Moscow, enabling members to have
in-depth discussions on the implementation of the China-Russia
Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation; the
promotion of bilateral economic, scientific, cultural and regional
cooperation; and friendly exchanges of young people.
President Hu Jintao said
in his congratulatory letter to the meeting that the committee
members of the two countries have contributed a lot to the
promotion of mutual understanding and traditional friendship
between the two peoples over the past six years.
It is critically
important to constantly deepen mutual understanding, trust and
friendship between the two peoples to realize the goal of ensuring
that the two countries carry on their friendship from generation to
generation and never target each other as enemies, Hu
said.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin said in his letter of congratulations that it is
important to strengthen the social base of Russia-China ties and
encourage the young people of the two countries to carry on the
tradition of friendship and trust.
(China Daily September
11, 2003)