Chinese, Russian Presidents Exchange Congratulations on Anniversary of Treaty

Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated each other on the first anniversary of the Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between their countries, both terming the treaty as a milestone in the development of bilateral ties.

In his message to Putin on Monday, Jiang said the treaty has consolidated the peaceful idea of developing friendship for generations and never being enemies into a legal form, set the general goals and directions for the long-term and stable development of bilateral ties in the new century.

The treaty has also laid a solid political foundation for the two countries to become each other's good neighbors, partners and friends forever, he added.

The treaty, Jiang stressed, is a programmatic document guiding the development of bilateral ties.

Thanks to the pact, the past year has seen new important progress in bilateral ties, Jiang noted, citing more frequent exchange of high-level visits, enhanced mutual political trust and more pragmatic economic and trade cooperation.

Close coordination between the two countries has played important roles in pushing forward the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and preserving peace and stability in the region, Jiang noted.

The Chinese president described as "fruitful" consultation and cooperation between the two countries on important international issues, and said China-Russia strategic cooperation has become a positive factor stimulating the multi-polarity of the world.

The signing of the treaty has been proved an act of vision and strategic significance, said the president.

Jiang pledged his unremitting efforts to work with Putin for the implementation of the treaty so as to bring everlasting benefit to the two countries and peoples.

In his message to Jiang on Friday, President Putin said Russia views the fundamental treaty as a key landmark on the gradual and steady development of its strategic partnership with China.

Achievements over past year have proved that the decisions to establish the long-term cooperation between the two countries on a solid basis are right, he said.

He expressed satisfaction that the two states have created by joint efforts a proper model for developing bilateral ties and conducted productive and mutually beneficial cooperation in favor of the two peoples.

By tapping the potentials of this treaty, Putin said, Russia and China will further deepen and enhance their cooperation in the aspects of politics, economy, military technology and humanities as well as in other spheres, which will contribute to closer coordination between the two sides in international affairs.

Jiang and Putin signed the historic document in Moscow on July 16 last year, opening up a new chapter for Sino-Russian relations. The pact summed up the most important guidelines and principles for developing bilateral relations and stipulated the principles and directions for bilateral cooperation in all fields.

( July 17, 2002)