Moscow, 3 Mar (Xinhua) -- Promoting new and greater development in Sino-Russian relations in the new era -- All sectors of Russian society are eagerly looking forward to President Xi Jinping's state visit to Russia
Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Ting An Xiaomeng
At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 3 to 20.
People from all walks of life in Russia spoke highly of the high-level development of China-Russia relations in recent years, and eagerly looked forward to President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia, believing that this visit will further deepen cooperation between the two countries in the political, economic, trade, humanities and other fields, promote new and greater development of China-Russia relations in the new era, and contribute to the development and progress of the world.
The head of state led Sino-Russian relations to be full of vitality
Head-of-state exchanges are the compass and fixed star of Sino-Russian relations. Under the leadership of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have been rejuvenated, constantly demonstrating strong endogenous momentum, successfully blazing a trail of strategic mutual trust and friendly neighborly coexistence among major countries, and setting a model for a new type of international relations. People from all walks of life in Russia expect that during President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia, the two heads of state will jointly promote Russia-China cooperation and continue to benefit the two peoples.
"The Russian people have high respect for President Xi Jinping and eagerly await the visit of old friends." First Vice President of the Russia-China Friendship Association, Galina Kulikova, has been engaged in Russian-Chinese public diplomacy for more than 65 years and was awarded the Chinese "Order of Friendship". She said that President Xi Jinping's visit highlights China's great importance to bilateral relations and will promote the two countries to further deepen practical cooperation.
RUDN University professor Yuri Tavrovsky is a well-known Russian sinologist whose book Xi Jinping: Fulfilling the Chinese Dream is Russia's first monograph on Chinese President Xi Jinping. Knowing that President Xi Jinping was about to visit Russia, Tavrovsky was thrilled.
In March 2013, after Xi Jinping was elected president, he chose Russia for his first foreign visit. Ten years later, Xi Jinping's first visit after his re-election as president also chose Russia, which is of great significance. Russia-China relations in the new era are fruitful, the two countries maintain high-level interaction at the bilateral and global levels, and exchanges between the leaders of the two countries are fruitful. Tavrovsky said.
Since 2013, President Xi Jinping and President Putin have jointly planned the development of bilateral relations and practical cooperation in various fields, exchanged in-depth and frank experience in governance, closely communicated and coordinated on major international issues, and attended major events held by each other on many occasions. The two sides adhered to the general direction of building a multipolar world pattern, advocated and practiced true multilateralism, and reached a series of important strategic consensus on promoting the upgrading of China-Russia relations, maintaining regional security and stability, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Sergei Lukoonin, director of the Chinese Politics and Economy Department of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that President Xi Jinping's visit once again proves the importance of Russian-Chinese relations, and Russia and China will continue to practice true multilateralism, promote the construction of a multipolar world pattern, improve global governance, and contribute to world development and progress.
Deepen cooperation and promote the continuous development of Sino-Russian relations
China and Russia firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests, bilateral trade volume has reached a new high, cooperation projects in key areas have been steadily implemented, and cross-border connectivity has made landmark progress. People from all walks of life in Russia expect that President Xi Jinping's visit will continue to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in various bilateral fields, deepen the docking and cooperation between the "Belt and Road" construction and the Eurasian Economic Union, and help the two countries achieve their respective development and revitalization goals.
Sergei Sanakoyev, vice chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association, said that the bilateral trade volume between Russia and China will exceed a record of $2022 billion in 1900, and he looks forward to President Xi Jinping's visit to promote Russia-China practical cooperation to a new level.
Andrei Gubin, associate professor of international relations at Russia's Far Eastern Federal University, said that Russia has potential in railways, logistics and transportation of the Northern Sea Route and energy exports, and expects the two countries to strengthen cooperation in these fields.
Tavrovsky believes that President Xi Jinping's visit will open a new stage of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the economic, scientific and technological and cultural fields, and expects the pragmatic cooperation experience accumulated by the two countries to push bilateral relations to a new height.
"President Xi Jinping's visit will release an important positive signal, indicating that the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between Russia and China in the new era will move forward steadily, and the cooperation between the two countries will not be affected by external influences, providing a stable environment and clear prospects for the development of enterprises, which is a major benefit to the Russian and Chinese business communities." Vitaly Mankovich, chairman of the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, said.
In recent years, the "Belt and Road" construction and the Eurasian Economic Union docking and cooperation have yielded fruitful results. Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Russia, said: "The Belt and Road Initiative affects many countries and billions of people around the world. What we see from this initiative is equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, which can promote the development of industries, the expansion of the talent base, the increase of jobs and the improvement of living conditions in various countries. ”
Novikov, who has visited China many times, witnessed China's rapid development. He said that both China's own progress and the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative will help promote regional and even global development. He looked forward to discussing economic and trade cooperation between the two countries during President Xi Jinping's visit and fully unleashing the great potential of Russian-Chinese economic relations.
Close exchanges Promote friendship between partners and people-to-people bonds
The friendship between countries lies in the affinity of the people, and the affinity of the people lies in the common heart. China and Russia have a rich cultural heritage, a long history of cultural cooperation and fruitful results. People from all walks of life in Russia hope that President Xi Jinping's visit will further deepen mutual trust and understanding between the two countries and consolidate the political foundation and public opinion foundation of friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation.
Irina Zakharova, a Russian meritorious art activist who has written many works on Chinese cultural themes, believes that President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia will surely promote cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties between the two countries. She said that Russia and China both have brilliant cultures, each with its own characteristics and similarities, and through holding cultural activities such as folk works exhibitions and academic exchanges, mutual understanding between the two peoples can be continuously enhanced.
In recent years, China and Russia have become increasingly close in the fields of science, education and humanities. Yevgeny Vlasov, vice president for international cooperation at Far Eastern Federal University, said that in order to support joint scientific research projects between the two countries, Russian higher education institutions have allocated 940 publicly-funded study places for Chinese students this academic year, and the next academic year will continue to increase.
China and Russia are each other's largest neighbors and have frequent tourist exchanges. China has been Russia's main source of tourists for many years. After China's pilot resumption of outbound group travel business, Russia welcomed the first Chinese tour group since the new crown epidemic in late February. Alexander Osholenko, vice chairman of the Russian Tourism Union, said he hoped to receive more Chinese tourists this year.
As China optimizes and adjusts its epidemic prevention and control measures, various people-to-people exchange activities between China and Russia are poised to take place. Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova said that Russia is full of expectations for a series of Russian-Chinese exchanges this year, and believes that these activities will continue to promote bilateral people-to-people exchanges and deepen the friendship between the two peoples.
Viktor Kuprikin, assistant director of science of the Russian State Science and Technology Library, learned from the news that President Xi Jinping was about to visit Russia, and was looking forward to it, "I repeatedly read "Xi Jinping on Governing the Country". He was a persistent and wise leader. ”
Kuprikin said: "We eagerly look forward to President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia, and believe that this visit will surely promote the continuous development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between Russia and China in the new era." (Participating reporters: Geng Pengyu, Hua Di, Chen Chang)