China, Russia vow to strengthen bilateral ties

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday vowed to further boost their countries' relations.

Bilateral relations have made strides and showed strong momentum in recent years, said Wen.

The two sides have firmly supported each other on issues concerning their core interests, tackled the international financial crisis hand in hand, and made great achievements in economic and trade cooperation, he said.

The two countries have made close coordination in big regional and international issues and effectively protected their common interests, which made great contribution to the world's peace and development, said the Chines premier.

Sound Sino-Russian relations owe themselves to the efforts of the two countries' leaders and to support by the two peoples, thus having a solid political and social foundation, he added.

Wen said under the severe and complex situation, the Russian government and its people firmly protected national sovereignty and territorial integrity, strived for economic development and made great success. He noted that Russia has successfully joined the World Trade Organization and serves as a pole in the world. A stable, prosperous and strong Russia benefits the whole world, he added.

Wen said that both Chinese and Russians are great peoples that used to make prominent contributions to human progress, and that both peoples are at crucial juncture of development and rejuvenation.

Further promoting Sino-Russian relations has strategic and long-term significance, which conforms to the two countries' and their people's interests, Wen said, adding that the two sides should continue to deepen political and strategic mutual trust, broaden mutually beneficial cooperation, push for stronger roles of organizations such as the United Nations, the Group of 20, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, and promote the multipolarization and sustainable development of the world.

The new Chinese leadership will continue to attach great importance to and effectively promote the two countries' cooperation and communication in all fields, Wen said. The Sino-Russian relationship is sure to have broader and brighter prospects, he added.

For his part, Putin said the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Russia and China has achieved an unprecedented height, forcefully boosting the socioeconomic development of the two countries, pushing forward the settlement of a series of important issues, and safeguarding world order, balance and stability.

Russia is happy to see that China, in the past decade, has made great achievements in keeping economic growth, boosting social harmony, pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and achieving an ever-increasing international prestige, Putin said.

The Russian president, meanwhile, warmly congratulated the successful conclusion of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Putin said he cherished the working relationship and sincere friendship with China's leaders, calling on the two sides to maintain close high-level exchanges and push the bilateral ties to a higher level.