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Sino-Russian Joint Statement
President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China and President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation held their fifth summit in Beijing on November 10, 1997. The two leaders held detailed discussions concerning the present situation and the prospects for bilateral relations and major international issues. The meeting was a resounding success with the two presidents reaching a broad consensus on related matters.
I
The positive actions China and Russia have taken to build a multipolar world, and a new and comparatively perfected international political and economic order have received widespread acknowledgement from the international community, and have exerted a healthy influence on the international situation as the turn of the century approaches.
The two sides will continue to develop friendly relations and cooperation between China and Russia and consider such relations as an important component to ensure the security, stability and economic prosperity of Eurasia and the Pacific Region. Sino-Russian relations are in no way targeted against any third country and the two countries do not seek hegemony, nor expansion.
The two sides are extremely satisfied to point out that relations between China, Russia, the United States and Japan witnessed positive development during the recent summit meetings between the nations. China and Russia believe that the time when countries forged alliances and engaged in strategic integration targeted against a third country has passed. All countries, especially major powers, should comply with the development trend towards world multipolarization, develop relations based on the principle of mutual respect, equality, being beneficial to all parties and taking into consideration of the interests of all parties. So doing will be of vital importance for ensuring world peace and development. The two sides are determined to work to reach this end.
China and Russia believe that in the new century, mutual trust, cooperation on an equal footing and coherence of diversification between nations will guarantee peace and prosperity for mankind. Concerted efforts are indispensable for establishing inseparable global, regional and sub-regional security patterns which are oriented to the 21st century and ensure the equality of all parties.
II
The heads of state of China and Russia solemnly declare that all points of contention regarding surveying and demarcating the eastern section of the Sino-Russian border have been resolved according to the agreement signed on May 16, 1991. The demarcated eastern section of the Sino-Russia border, which stretches some 4,200 kilometers, has been accurately marked for the first time in the history of Sino-Russian bilateral relations. This constitutes the major achievement of the fifth summit between the two nations and was the direct result of joint efforts, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests.
The two sides declare that they will complete demarcation of the western section (about 55 kilometers) of the Sino-Russian border within the agreed period of time. They will also continue to negotiate for reaching fair and reasonable solutions to a few remaining border problems in order to define their entire common border.
The smooth demarcation of the Sino-Russian border represents a model for resolving problems left over by history in a fair and reasonable manner and in the spirit of consultations based on an equal footing, mutual understanding and concessions. The achievement will contribute greatly to peace, tranquillity, stability and prosperity in border areas of China and Russia, as well as to regional stability and the enhancement of friendship and good-neighborly relations between the two countries. It also accords with the common aspirations of the two peoples.
III
The two sides highly value the important role of the four previous joint statements signed by the Chinese and Russian heads of state in actively propelling bilateral relations and in effecting the establishment of a strategic cooperative partnership based on equality and trust and oriented to the 21st century. The two sides reiterate that the principles laid down in the previous four joint statements are of immediate significance and are of particular significance in the following aspects:
1. Strengthening trust, mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and noninterference in each other's internal affairs. The two sides agree that it is imperative to draw on the experiences and lessons of history, strictly abide by the objectives and principles of the United Nations Charter and universally acknowledged norms of international law, and exhibit mutual respect for the road to development chosen by the people in each other country. The two sides respect and understand the efforts made by each other country to safeguard national unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.
2. Mechanisms for exchange visits by heads of state, for regular meetings between premiers and consultations between foreign ministers are conducive to enhancing mutual communication and understanding, as well as to expanding and deepening comprehensive cooperation between the two nations in various fields.
3. Reinforcing coordination concerning major international issues in order to allow the two sides to engage in joint efforts to safeguard world peace and promote international cooperation and development.
IV
Leaders of the two countries believe that joint efforts have resulted in the establishment of the foundation for treaties and laws as well as organizations for Sino-Russian mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as economics and trade, investment, science and technology, and the humanities. In view of this, the heads of state of the two countries have instructed their respective ministries and commissions, enterprises and other organizations in their respective countries to adopt effective measures to substantiate the reached agreements with solid contents.
Both sides believe that on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and of realizing balanced imports and exports, and in view of the current market situations in the two countries, there are great potentials for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the following areas:
1. Large-scale cooperation projects in the areas of natural gas, petroleum, nuclear energy and the production and upgrading of energy equipment, and cooperation in the realm of civil aviation, machine-building, the peaceful use of outer space, chemicals, metallurgy, forestry, development and processing of mineral resources, textiles, light industry, household electrical appliances, electronics, food processing, production techniques and equipment.
2. Cooperation in the banking, insurance and arbitration sectors; improvement of the quality of mutually supplied goods; effective protection of intellectual property rights and the ligitimate rights and interests of each other country's legal and natural persons; development of multi-tiered and reliable bilateral information systems for the Chinese and Russian markets; adoption of steps to rationally regulate labor exports, and establishment of other service mechanisms in the economic and trade areas.
3. Promotion of scientific and technological cooperation by introducing state-of-the-art high technology to production and basic research.
4. Implementation of long-term large-scale cooperation projects in the transportation and communication sectors, projects which are of bilateral, regional and global significance.
5. Encouragement of mutual investment, establishment of joint-ventures, and establishment of economic and technological development zones and border trade zones in accordance with related laws and current rules and regulations in each country in order to promote economic cooperation and trade between the regions, especially between border regions, on the basis of long-term coordination.
6. The development of ties in the area of military technology is an important component of bilateral cooperation. In this regard, the two sides strictly abide by the United Nations Charter and respective international obligations in order to help safeguard security and stability in the region and in the world as a whole. Sino-Russian cooperation in the field of military technology is in no way directed against a third country.
7. Expanding personnel exchanges and contacts in the cultural and educational areas is of great significance for strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese and Russian people.
8. Cooperation in environmental protection and improvement, joint prevention of cross-border pollution and rational and economical use of natural resources, including cross-border water resources.
9. Improvement of cooperation between judicial departments, including joint efforts to crack down on international crimes.
V
The two heads of state believe that formal operation of the Sino-Russian Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, an organization which enjoys wide-spread participation and support of people from all walks of life and different age groups, marks a new and important step in developing the traditional friendship between the Chinese and Russian people. The committee's activities will help consolidate the tradition of Sino-Russian partnership, trust and good-neighborliness.
President of the President of the People's Republic of China Russian Federation Jiang Zemin Boris Yeltsin
November 10, 1997 in Bejing
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
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MIIS.
