Moscow, 3 Mar (Xinhua) -- "Welcome Chinese leaders!" In Moscow's Red Square, young Russians have a gentle smile on their faces.
In early spring and March, the snow and ice in Moscow faded. In the time of recovery, Russia is about to welcome old friends again.
Recently, Moscow, the capital of Russia, ushered in sunny days. This is a corner of the Kremlin. (Photo by Alexander)
At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 3 to 20.
This is a high-profile and anticipated journey of friendship, cooperation and peace, which will not only inject new impetus into the development of China-Russia relations, but also make new contributions to promoting world peace and development.
In the past few days, the reporter has felt the ardent expectations of all walks of life in Russian society for President Xi Jinping's visit in Moscow, witnessed the warmth and depth of friendship between China and Russia for generations, and touched the vigorous pulse of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
Set an example for a new type of international relations
"We eagerly look forward to our old friend President Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow again," said Galina Kulikova, first vice president of the Russia-China Friendship Association, in a solemn tone. ”
Galina Kulikova, first vice chairman of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Association, was interviewed by a Xinhua reporter. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Yang
This elderly man is a witness and witness of Sino-Russian friendship, and was awarded China's "Friendship Medal" on the occasion of the 2019th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia in 70.
In Kulikova's view, President Xi Jinping's choice of Russia as the first country to visit after his re-election as President fully demonstrates the high level of comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia in the new era.
On March 3, teenagers pose for a group photo on Red Square in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Weibing
This will be President Xi Jinping's ninth visit to Russia since becoming president, and his second visit to Moscow after more than three years. During his first visit to Russia in 2013, President Xi Jinping explained the world significance of China-Russia relations as follows: "A high-level and strong China-Russia relationship not only conforms to the interests of China and Russia, but also is an important guarantee for maintaining international strategic balance and world peace and stability. ”
Observing over a ten-year span, we can better understand the weight and meaning of this sentence.
In the past ten years, the top leaders of China and Russia have met 40 times. The head of state's diplomacy has led the way, and China-Russia relations have withstood the test of the changing international situation and have always developed at a healthy, stable and high level. The political mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, pragmatic cooperation has steadily advanced, and the concept of friendship from generation to generation has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
In the past ten years, President Xi Jinping has maintained close exchanges with President Putin, charted and led the sustained, healthy and stable development of China-Russia relations, successfully embarked on a way of strategic mutual trust and neighborly friendship and cooperation among major countries, and established a new paradigm for international relations.
On March 3, the Moscow Kremlin, the capital of Russia, is carefully preparing to welcome Chinese VIPs. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shen Hong
During his visit to Russia, President Xi Jinping will have an in-depth exchange of views with President Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern, promote strategic coordination and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and an important power, the significance and impact of China-Russia relations go far beyond the bilateral scope. On the basis of the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties, the two sides will practice true multilateralism, promote democracy in international relations, build a multipolar world pattern, improve global governance, and contribute to world development and progress.
Paint a picture of mutual benefit and win-win
Walking into the Moscow Michurin Prospect subway station, vermilion columns and auspicious cloud patterns come into view, and the elegant and simple "Chinese style" is beautifully integrated with modern subway facilities and the surging flow of people. The Moscow Metro, built by Chinese enterprises, not only makes it more convenient for people to travel, but also becomes a new landmark of Sino-Russian friendship.
Passengers walk inside the Michurin Street station of the Moscow Metro in the Russian capital on March 3. (Photo by Alexander)
Walking through the streets, there are many Chinese brand cars in the traffic that shuttles; In the northwest of Moscow, the Greenwood International Trade Center, invested and built by Chinese enterprises, is lined with high-rise buildings, attracting more than 300 enterprises from more than <> countries to settle in, building a bridge of economic and trade cooperation... The "Chinese elements" that can be seen everywhere are a testimony to the deepening of China-Russia practical cooperation.
At the end of 2022, President Xi Jinping and Russian President Putin exchanged New Year's messages and said that I am willing to maintain close exchanges with President Putin and lead the two sides to deepen comprehensive strategic coordination and practical cooperation in various fields for the benefit of the two countries and peoples.
Thanks to the guidance and promotion of the diplomacy of the head of state, the achievements in the field of practical cooperation between China and Russia are gratifying and full of highlights. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Russia will be 1902.72 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 29.3%. China-Russia economic and trade cooperation has reached a record high, showing strong resilience and great potential.
The two countries have solidly promoted strategic cooperation in the fields of energy and connectivity, and deepened cooperation in the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and the Eurasian Economic Union. The two sides have also actively built new growth points such as 5G, cross-border e-commerce, digital economy, biomedicine, and green and low-carbon.
Andrei Kostin, president of VTB, said that over the past decade, Russian-Chinese relations have maintained a positive development trend in all fields. "I believe that President Xi Jinping's visit will help strengthen Russia-China ties in various fields and inject strong new impetus into the expansion of cooperation between the two countries."
Speaking about the benefits that China-Russia pragmatic cooperation brings to the lives of ordinary people, Alexander Bobrov, director of the School of International Relations and Management of the Moscow Institute of International Relations, opened the chatterbox: "The Russian market is full of Chinese products, and Chinese manufacturing can be seen everywhere in Russia. ”
"Every visit by President Xi to Russia is a major event, and each of his visits means the further development of bilateral relations." Bobrov said.
Lay the foundation for generational friendliness
At the Moscow Zoo in Russia, giant pandas "Tintin" and "Ruyi" are popular animal stars among the local population. In June 2019, President Xi Jinping and President Putin attended the opening ceremony of the Panda Pavilion at the Moscow Zoo, bringing a new link of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
"The giant panda is a symbol of peace and friendship in China, as well as a symbol of mutual trust and camaraderie between our two countries." Moscow Zoo director Svetlana Akulova told reporters.
At the Moscow Zoo in Russia, the giant panda "Tintin" plays. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Yang
Watch the Chinese and Russian youth ice hockey game together, go to the "Ocean" All-Russian Children's Center to visit teachers and students, and go to the "Winter Olympic Covenant" and "New Year Party" together... The warm moments of the diplomacy of the heads of state have narrowed the spiritual distance between the people of the two countries and continued to write a new chapter in the era of Sino-Russian friendship. The two sides also jointly agreed to hold the "Youth Friendly Exchange Year", "Media Exchange Year", "Local Cooperation and Exchange Year", "Science and Technology Innovation Year" and "Sports Exchange Year" to open more windows of opportunity for promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.
During his visit to Russia in 2015, President Xi Jinping made a special trip to meet with Russian aid experts and relatives to extend sincere greetings and best wishes to these "messengers of peace between China and Russia" and "sincere friends of the Chinese people". In his speech, President Xi Jinping also recalled the touching deeds of Russian experts, including Konstantin Sillin, the chief architect of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge.
Silin's daughter Yelena Silina was at the scene at the time, and she burst into tears with excitement. "President Xi also received us solemnly during such a busy visit, which made me feel very warm." She told reporters, "The friendship between China and Russia has a long history, and it will move forward all the way in the future." ”
Yelena (first from left), daughter of China aid expert Xilin, and her family look through old photos together during an interview with Xinhua News Agency on March 3. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Yang
"The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is my father's most beloved 'child' and a bridge of friendship between the Xilin family and Chinese friends." The 76-year-old said. The family engraved the bridge that he cherished the most in his life on the tombstone of Xilin, and also passed on Xilin's good wishes before his death - future generations to learn Chinese and inherit the friendly cause.
Yelena's daughter, Ekaterina, majored in Chinese in addition to geography and came to China for further study many times, and can speak fluent Mandarin. Ekaterina's daughter Nastya learned from her mother from a young age Chinese to perpetuate the "Chinese dream" ... A bridge that witnesses the Chinese love passed down for four generations.
On March 3, at the Moscow Institute of International Relations, children learned to use brushes during a Chinese cultural experience activity. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Yang
In 2019, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, President Xi Jinping accepted the title of honorary doctorate from President Putin's alma mater, St. Petersburg State University, during his visit to Russia. President Xi Jinping stressed that youth is the hope of human progress and the future of friendship between China and Russia.
"Each and every one of our teachers and students is deeply honored." Alexei Rodionov, executive deputy director of the university's Oriental Department, said that the scene of meeting the Chinese leader more than three years ago is still vividly remembered. "President Xi's message to the younger generation is very important, and the future of the relationship between the two countries is in their hands." He said that he hopes that more young Russians will learn Chinese, read more Chinese books, and devote themselves to exchanges and cooperation with China.
Chinese and Russian friendly people look forward to this friendship trip to further deepen mutual trust and understanding between China and Russia, and consolidate the political foundation and public opinion foundation of friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation.
There is a Russian proverb: "A big ship will sail far." "Under the guidance of the head of state's diplomacy, the big ship of China-Russia friendship will surely sail to a better future and make new contributions to promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind."
-END-
Chief planner: Lv Yansong
Director system: Yuan Bingzhong
Planner: Ni Siyi Fan Weiguo
Executive Producers: Feng Junyang, Guo Jianye, Ding Deqi, Wei Jianhua
Coordinators: Xie Peng, Yan Junyan, Han Mo, Liu Kai
Written by: Han Liang, Sun Hao
Text reporters: Liu Kai, Geng Pengyu, Chen Ting, Hua Di, Huang He, Chen Chang, Zhao Bing, Hao Weiwei, Yang Yijun, Miao Xiaojuan, Li Quan, Wang Chendi
Video reporters: Li Shuying, Liu Chunhui, Yin Jiajie, Lu Jinbo, Meng Jing, Chen Chang, Zhao Yan, Zhu Ruiqing, Zhang Yuan
Photojournalists: Liu Weibing, Shen Hong, Cao Yang
Editors: Zhang Dailei, Lu Yu, Ma Xiao, Wang Fengfeng
Editor: Wu Hao
Jointly produced by the International Department and the Audio and Video Department of Xinhua News Agency
Produced by Xinhua News Agency's International Communication Integration Platform