2011: Milestone in China-Russia relations

China.org.cn, April 23, 2011

(c) Pragmatic cooperation has yielded substantial results. The bilateral trade structure has been optimized and the trade volume has increased significantly, from 6.83 billion US dollars in 1996 to 55.45 billion US dollars in 2010. Energy cooperation has made breakthroughs. The China-Russia crude oil pipeline is in full operation while cooperation on coal, nuclear energy, electricity and other fields are being carrying out in an orderly manner. Financial cooperation has been pushed forward step by step. The volume of settlement in local currency in border trade between China and Russia continues to expand. Direct trading between the Chinese currency, the renminbi, and the Russian ruble has also started. The "Northeast China-Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia Regional Cooperation Plan (2009-2018)" has injected tremendous momentum to boost the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.

(d) Cultural exchanges are more active than ever. Activities like the "national year" and "language year" organized between the two countries have achieved fruitful results. Hundreds of events attracted millions of people of both countries. Russian President Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev invited over 1500 children from Sichuan and other quake-hit areas to recuperate in Russia, and Chinese President Hu Jintao invited over 1000 Russian elementary and secondary school students to participate in a summer camp in China. The rapid development of cultural cooperation has greatly enhanced mutual understanding and emotional bonds between the two peoples. The idea of an eternal China-Russia friendship has taken root in the hearts of the two peoples.

Sino-Russian relations have become the most stable and most dynamic set of relations among major powers in today's international politics. The relationship can be ranked as a model of relations between countries. In the current context of the complicated international situation, the constant deepening of the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation has become an important driving force for rapid development of the two emerging powers. It also plays an irreplaceable role in promoting world multi-polarization and establishes a just and rational international political and economic new order.

China.org.cn: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). How do you evaluate the achievements SCO has made of the past 10 years? Can you give us an introduction on China and Russia's cooperation and development within the framework of the SCO?

Li Hui: Compared with other international organizations, the history of SCO is not quite long, but its achievements have been very fruitful. During the last ten years, the SCO has established permanent bodies like the SCO Secretariat and regional counter-terrorism agencies. It has built multi-level mechanisms in various fields for effective cooperation, such as regular meetings from the heads of state to expert group meeting. Adhering to the "Shanghai Spirit" of "mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and seeking common development", SCO has played an important role in enhancing political mutual trust, maintaining regional security and promoting pragmatic cooperation among its member countries. Now an increasing more countries are ready to cooperate with SCO, and some of them even showed their willingness to become full members. The gesture is also proof of the huge appeal and sound development prospects of SCO.

China and Russia founded the SCO based on their strategic partnership of cooperation. The two countries unanimously support the development of SCO to promote common security and economic development of SCO member countries. The two countries also maintain close cooperation and communication on various major issues concerning SCO's organizational development. Together with other member countries, fully utilizing their own strengths and resources, China and Russia have made tireless efforts to work for the security, stability and economic prosperity of the region. We can say that the cooperation of China and Russia within the framework of the SCO is the extension of the two countries' high level strategic partnership of cooperation.