The Chinese and Russian legislatures will develop their
cooperation, Chinese and Russian legislators vowed here Monday.
Talks between Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of
the National People's Congress of China (NPC), and Boris Gryzlov,
chairman of the Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament),
and between officials of the NPC and the Russian Duma, were the
occasion for an in-depth exchange of views on inter-parliamentary
cooperation and bilateral relations, and regional and international
issues.
Wu proposed that the two legislatures improve the regular
exchange mechanism to expand mutual understanding and political
trust.
"We should maximize opportunities for special committees and
friendly groups and boost exchange programs between young
parliamentary members in order to consolidate the social foundation
of China-Russia friendship", Wu said.
He also called for further improvements to legal systems and
full implementation of the bilateral agreement between the two
governments.
"We should not miss opportunities to discuss experience of
national economic and social construction. We should also
coordinate more closely in regional and international parliamentary
organizations to safeguard our common interests and foster peace
and prosperity in the world", Wu suggested.
Agreeing with Wu's proposals, Gryzlov pledged that the Duma
would continue to promote its ties with the NPC, and cement links
between the two parliaments through means such as the regular
exchange mechanism.
President Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin
have agreed to host national theme years in each country to enhance
the China-Russia Strategic partnership. The "Year of Russia" was a
success in China in 2006.
The NPC and the Russian Duma established a cooperative
commission in June 2005 in Beijing, chaired by Wu and Gryzlov.
The first meeting of the commission was convened in May 2006 in
Moscow.
(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2007)
