Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui said on Friday the
activities of the Year of Russia in China have achieved "initial
results," adding it has helped deepen the China-Russia strategic
partnership of cooperation.
Li, also secretary general of the Chinese organizing committee
of the "national year" between China and Russia, held online
discussions with netizens on the official Year of Russia in China
website - www.2006rus.com.
So far nearly 80 of the 207 planned activities have been held in
China, he said.
In the latter part of this year, a series of activities are
scheduled to be held in China such as the China-Russia youth forum,
students' summer camp, China-Russia investment promotion week and
the closing ceremony of Year of Russia in China.
"These activities have played an important role in strengthening
understanding and friendship between the two peoples, expanding
bilateral cooperation and deepening the China-Russia strategic
partnership of cooperation," he said.
When asked to comment on current China-Russia ties by netizens,
Li said relations are in their "best ever period" in history.
The two countries have thoroughly settled their border issues,
he said. They support each other on major issues concerning
national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and keep close
contact on international issues such as the UN reform and the
nuclear issues of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and
Iran.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the signing of the
Good-neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between China
and Russia.
Li said the treaty is a milestone in bilateral ties, and serves
as an example of state-to-state relations in the new era.
In July 2005, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin
jointly announced that the Year of Russia would be held in 2006 in
China and the Year of China would be held in 2007 in Russia.
(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2006)