Moscow, 3 Mar (Xinhua) -- Friendship, Cooperation, and Peace -- A side note on the talks between the Chinese and Russian heads of state in the Kremlin

Xinhua News Agency reporter Hao Weiwei Liu Hua

In Moscow in March, the warm air of early spring surged with the clear air. After the rain cleared and greeted the afternoon sun, President Xi Jinping's special car drove into the Kremlin on the Borovitsky hill on the left bank of the Moskva River.

Six golden chandeliers mingle with each other, the George Hall of the Grand Kremlin is illuminated, and President Xi Jinping and President Putin walk towards each other from opposite ends of the red carpet. In front of the national flags of the two countries, the two old friends shook hands tightly, and the camera froze the new historic moment of Sino-Russian relations.

Ten years ago, it was also early spring, and it was also the first trip abroad since the election of the president. Coming to the friendly neighbor connected by mountains and rivers, walking into the Kremlin, President Xi Jinping and President Putin talked deeply for hours.

In the past 10 years, President Xi Jinping and President Putin have steered the rudder and led China-Russia relations to move forward steadily. More mature, tenacious and more vigorous, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era has established a new paradigm for relations between major countries and injected stability and positive energy into the world.

Old place, old friend; New blueprint, new chapter. On the 21st, the Kremlin talks between Chinese and Russian heads of state opened a new future of friendly cooperation and common development between China and Russia.

Perseverance: for mutual trust among major countries and good-neighborliness and friendship

Newsstands on the streets of Moscow, one by one, the newspaper Russiya is prominently displayed. In the signed article of President Xi Jinping published on the front page, there was a sentence that resonated widely with people from all walks of life in Russia: "China-Russia relations have gone through ups and downs for more than 70 years. Looking back at the past, we deeply feel that today's Sino-Russian relations have not come easily, and the friendship between China and Russia has lasted for a long time and must be cherished. ”

Stepping into a new time and space in history, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, China-Russia relations have entered a new positioning of "comprehensive strategic cooperation partner in the new era", and embarked on a way of strategic mutual trust and neighborly friendship and cooperation among major countries.

As each other's largest neighbors and comprehensive strategic cooperation partners, it is the proper meaning of China-Russia relations to move around and exchange frequently.

This is the ninth time President Xi Jinping has set foot on Russian soil in 10 years and his 41st meeting with President Putin.

The Alexandria Hall is brightly lit and the golden door slowly opens. The two saluting soldiers saluted, and President Xi Jinping walked side by side with President Putin. Having just concluded small-scale talks, the two heads of state immediately moved on to large-scale talks.

From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., President Xi Jinping and President Putin had long-term in-depth communication and exchanges in the form of "small scope" and "large scope", and the duration of both activities exceeded the original schedule.

"The Russian side once again warmly congratulates President Xi Jinping on his unanimous election as President of China and the formation of China's new government."

"China-Russia cooperation has great potential and space, and is strategic, reliable and stable."

"Russia firmly supports China in safeguarding its legitimate interests on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang."

"No matter how the international situation changes, China will continue to be committed to promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia in the new era."

......

Many new and important consensus has been reached on Sino-Russian relations and major international and regional issues of common concern. President Xi Jinping and President Putin both described the day's talks as "frank", "friendly" and "fruitful".

It is the "compass" and also the "fixed star". For China-Russia relations to develop sustainedly, healthily and steadily, exchanges between heads of state are crucial.

Looking back, images of friendship come to mind.

In the villa by the stream in Sochi Bocharov on the Black Sea coast, in the Yundang Academy in Xiamen in the drizzle, in the quaint Beijing Friendship Hotel, in the calm and solemn Hermitage of St. Petersburg, on the high-speed train from Beijing to Tianjin, on the cruiser Avril on the Neva ... President Xi Jinping and President Putin discussed the country's livelihood and jointly planned all aspects of China-Russia relations, from political mutual trust to pragmatic cooperation to strategic coordination.

To the future, draw blueprints again and again to guide the future.

The simple and elegant malachite hall. In the early summer of 2019, at the historical juncture of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, President Xi Jinping and President Putin signed a joint statement between China and Russia on the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, jointly opening a new era of higher level and greater development of China-Russia relations.

Under the new historical conditions, how Sino-Russian relations are going and where they are going have attracted worldwide attention.

In line with the principle of good-neighborliness, friendship and win-win cooperation, we will promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era - President Xi Jinping and President Putin will point out the direction for the development of China-Russia relations in the coming period.

The joint statement of China and Russia on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era is the most important political outcome of this visit. At the white signing table, the two heads of state signed at the same time. The exchange of letters, the handshake, and the warm applause echoed for a long time at the scene.

Perseverance: for development and revitalization, for the well-being of the people

Just two weeks ago, China-Russia pragmatic cooperation spread good news again: in the first two months of this year, the bilateral trade volume reached 336.86 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 25.9%, successfully achieving a "good start".

Once upon a time, "political heat and economic cold" was a high-frequency word to describe Sino-Russian cooperation. During that visit 10 years ago, President Xi Jinping and President Putin reached an important consensus: "translating the advantages of high-level political relations between the two countries into practical results" as a strategic task for the development of China-Russia relations.

10 years of perseverance, 10 years of spring and autumn.

Feel the speed of China-Russia cooperation from two curves - a curve of China-Russia trade volume, bilateral trade volume exceeded US$2022 billion in 1900, an increase of 10% over 116 years ago; One is the RMB trading curve, which exceeded 2.1 trillion rubles on the Moscow Exchange in February, a third higher than in January, and the renminbi surpassed the US dollar for the first time to become the exchange's largest monthly trading currency.

Measure the breadth of China-Russia cooperation from two aspects - on the one hand, the steady progress of cooperation in major projects in the fields of energy, aerospace, and connectivity, on the other hand, the strong momentum of cooperation in emerging fields such as scientific and technological innovation and cross-border e-commerce, which can not only "cross the mountain" but also "enter the sky and the earth", and the field and scale of China-Russia pragmatic cooperation are constantly expanding.

From the well-being of the two peoples to the temperature of Sino-Russian cooperation - Russian beef on the Chinese table, caviar, chocolate, candy and other goods from Russia are sold all over China, Chinese cars that enter Russian families, "Chinese style" subway stations that make it more convenient for Moscow citizens to travel, Russian coaches who lead Chinese apprentices to constantly hone their skills... Friendly ties connect thousands of families in China and Russia, and the fruits of cooperation bring tangible benefits to the people of the two countries.

At the meeting, the two heads of state once again had an extensive and in-depth exchange of views on practical cooperation issues of common concern. From expanding traditional trade in energy, resources, mechanical and electrical products, to increasing cooperation in the field of innovation, to consolidating the foundation of people-to-people exchanges; From promoting the quantitative and qualitative increase of investment, economic and trade cooperation, to promoting the docking and cooperation between the "Belt and Road" and the Eurasian Economic Union, to enhancing the resilience of the industrial chain and supply chain... A new picture of Sino-Russian cooperation speeding up and moving at a steady pace has emerged in front of us.

There is a new vision, there is a new blueprint, there are new initiatives.

The Joint Statement on the Development Plan for Key Directions of China-Russia Economic Cooperation until 2030 is another important document signed by the two heads of state, which specifies eight key directions for China-Russia economic cooperation. There are also more than 10 intergovernmental and interdepartmental cooperation documents, covering agriculture, forestry, basic scientific research, market supervision, media and other fields, which are also heavy.

During the meeting on the 20th, President Putin told President Xi Jinping that China has achieved a huge leap in development, and the whole world is very interested in it, "we even envy you a little." President Xi Jinping responded: "I am very grateful to Mr. President for his affirmation, praise and support for China's development and construction, which is also an encouragement to us." ”

In today's world, the international balance of power and the evolution of the world pattern are accelerating, and how countries view each other's development, whether to choose a zero-sum game or strive for win-win cooperation, especially the political wisdom and diplomatic temperament of those in power.

Both big countries with a long history and splendid culture have sought up and down to find a modernization path suitable for their national conditions, are in the critical historical stage of development and revitalization, and have insisted on firmly holding the fate of national development and progress in their own hands.

For world peace and human progress

For friendship and cooperation, but also for peace and progress.

"On the issue of the Ukraine crisis, China has always followed the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, adhered to an objective and fair position, actively persuaded peace and promoted talks, decided its position according to the merits of the matter itself, and always firmly stood on the side of peace, dialogue and history." After the talks, he met with President Putin with reporters, and President Xi Jinping clearly stated China's position on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.

The comprehensively escalating crisis in Ukraine is a microcosm of the reality of the century-old changes in the world. "The more difficult it is, the more space must be left for peace; The sharper the contradictions, the more we must not give up our efforts at dialogue." China's position of persuading peace and promoting talks stems from the world outlook and universal sentiment of sharing a common destiny.

"Human beings live in the same global village, in the same time and space where history and reality meet, and have increasingly become a community of destiny among you and me." Ten years ago, during his first visit to Russia, President Xi Jinping proposed to the world the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Over the past 10 years, China has always adhered to the foreign policy purpose of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, always held high the banner of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and forged ahead with determination in the new era.

——This perseverance is reflected in the rich practice of developing and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership between China and Russia in the new era.

Adhering to the concept of friendship and win-win cooperation for generations, adhering to non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties, firmly upholding the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practicing true multilateralism, and promoting the common values of all mankind... As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major world powers, China and Russia have joined hands to inject impetus into world multipolarization and democracy in international relations, and provide guarantees for global strategic balance and stability.

"Model of a new type of major-country relations characterized by mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation" and "A model of harmony and creative cooperation among major countries" - "model" is the common positioning of China-Russia relations by President Xi Jinping and President Putin.

"The relationship between the two countries goes far beyond the bilateral scope and is crucial to the world order and the future and destiny of mankind" "We are working together to build a more just and democratic multipolar world order"... President Xi Jinping and President Putin jointly talked about the global significance of China-Russia relations.

——This perseverance is embodied in the responsibility of major countries to provide China's solutions to cope with changes in the world, times and history.

Not long ago, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to resume diplomatic relations under China's mediation, and the international community is increasingly concerned about China's role as a "peacemaker". Seeing President Xi Jinping, President Putin congratulated China on its successful promotion of the historic results of the Beijing-Beijing dialogue, which fully demonstrated China's important position and positive impact as a global power.

There is no self-interest, objectivity and fairness, and we are committed to peace, development, cooperation and win-win results. China's plan has won widespread attention and also received appreciation and support——

"The Russian side appreciates that China has always upheld an objective and fair position in international affairs, supported China's global security initiative, global development initiative and global civilization initiative, and is willing to further strengthen international cooperation with China." President Putin said.

"We believe that many elements of China's peace plan are consistent with Russia's position and can form the basis for a peaceful settlement." After the talks on the same day, RIA Novosti immediately issued a report "Putin: China's Ukraine plan can be used as a basis for resolving the conflict."

"A world that unites rather than divides, peace rather than turmoil, is in the common interest of all humanity." China's consistent proposition has increasingly demonstrated the value of the times and the significance of the world.

After the event, President Putin personally escorted President Xi Jinping to the pick-up place. "Take care!" "Safe journey!" The two old friends shook hands again tightly.

The firmament is deep, the breeze is blowing, outside the Kremlin, the still water of the Moscow River is deep. (Participating reporter: Liu Kai)

Video journalists: Li Shuying, Yin Jiajie, Liu Chunhui, Meng Jing, Chen Chang, Cao Yang, Hao Weiwei, Sun Hao, Li Quan, Lu Jinbo, Han Mo, Liu Kai, Han Liang