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27 May 2003
At the invitation of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin,
the President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao, made a state visit
to the Russian Federation on May 26-28, 2003.
The heads of state of the two countries had a substantive and in-depth
discussion on the development of bilateral relations in the last decade, their
state and prospects, and agreed that no matter what changes take place in the
world, the deepening of the good-neighborly relations, friendship, mutual
advantageous cooperation, partnership and strategic interaction between Russia
and China will remain a strategic priority in the foreign policies of the two
countries. The parties are resolved to take the baton over from the previous
generations and carry it into the future, exert joint efforts to discover new
ways for the development of Russian-Chinese relations.
To this end, the heads of state of Russia and China state the following:
I.
In the last decade Russian-Chinese relations have gone from constructive
partnership to partnership and strategic interaction along the historical path
of relations between friendly states. The two countries have jointly worked out
an optimal model of cooperation that has taken relations between the two
countries to the path of stable development. Political trust between the two
countries is increasing, practical interaction is constantly expanding,
friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of Russia and China are
strengthening. The development of Russian-Chinese relations has brought real
benefits to both states and peoples and has become an example of relations
between neighboring countries and great powers.
Russia and China intend to continue to strengthen their partnership and
strategic interaction and jointly solve practical questions of bilateral ties in
the interests of national security of both states, the prosperity of the Russian
and Chinese people, stability and calm in the neighboring regions.
The Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Between the
Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China of July 16, 2001 is a
concentrated reflection of a number of achievements in the development of
bilateral relations over the last years and has laid a solid legal groundwork
for the steady and sustainable development of relations between the two
countries in the new century. The treaty has become an inalienable part of the
legal systems of the two countries.
The parties believe that both countries have all the necessary conditions to
ensure the implementation of the treaty. The parties state their determination
to adhere to the policy and principles set forth in the treaty, continue the
implementation of all agreements on cooperation that have been reached between
the parties, constantly fill the partnership and strategic interaction between
the two countries with new substance, find new ways to encourage continuous
movement forward in bilateral relations, and exert efforts to maintain the high
dynamics of Russian-Chinese relations at all times.
II
Top-level contacts between Russia and China and bilateral intergovernmental and
interagency commissions on cooperation are important mechanisms that secure the
development of strategic interaction between the parties in all areas and serve
as an effective conduit for the operational exchange of views and coordination
of positions on bilateral issues and topical international problems. The parties
stress that the mechanism of regular meetings between the heads of government of
the two states is of great importance and appreciate its contribution to the
long-term development of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and
China. The parties will strengthen existing structures, while expanding other
conduits for exchanges and consultations at all levels and in all spheres. To
this end, the parties will continue to discuss ways to implement the agreement
on the creation of a Russian-Chinese interstate mechanism of security
consultations.
The parties confirm that they will find a final solution to border disputes
between the two countries, which have been inherited from the past, in the
shortest possible period of time on the basis of the principles of justice and
equality, mutual understanding and mutual concessions, in order to strengthen
the calm and stability on the Russian-Chinese border and ensure economic
interests of the population in the border areas of both countries.
The parties will continue to resolutely support each other's efforts to protect
state unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, which is an
important element of the Russian-Chinese partnership and strategic interaction.
The Russian side confirms the unchangeability of its position of principle with
regard to Taiwan and Tibet.
III
With a view to strengthening and expanding the material base of Russian-Chinese
relations, the parties have agreed to invigorate, on a mutually advantageous
basis, practical cooperation between the two states in trade, economic,
military-technical, and scientific-technical spheres, in the fields of energy,
transport, atomic energy, finance, spaces, aviation, information technologies as
well as cross-border and inter-regional cooperation.
The parties assess highly positive tendencies in bilateral trade and economic
cooperation in the last years and state the need to expand trade, improve its
structure by increasing the share of high-tech products, machinery, electronics,
and other commodities with a big added value, and its balanced development; the
creation of favorable conditions for mutual access of goods, services and
investments of the two countries to each other's markets, the intensification of
technical-economic and investment cooperation, including the creation of joint
ventures, industrial cooperation, the transfer of technologies; the perfection
of the trade servicing system, including the strengthening of cooperation in the
sphere of bank settlements, credit guarantees, insurance, enhanced work of both
countries in the field of legal and administrative regulation of trade and
economic activities in order to bring the trade regime in compliance with
international standards; the strengthening of cross-border and inter-regional
cooperation, as well as contacts between small and medium-sized enterprises of
the two countries. The parties are determined to make a breakthrough in the
development of the entire range of bilateral trade and economic relations and
achieve a major increase in trade turnover. The parties believe that cooperation
in the energy sphere is of great importance to both states. The implementation
of large oil and gas projects, including the construction of the Russia-China
oil pipeline, supplies of Russian natural gas to China, Russia's participation
in the construction of the West-East gas pipeline with possible supplies of
necessary Russian energy equipment for this project and cooperation between the
oil companies of the two countries in oil prospecting and development in Russia
should serve as the basis for strengthening energy cooperation.
China states its support for the Russian Federation's accession to the World
Trade Organization. The parties believe that further active and constructive
bilateral negotiations on the terms of Russia's admission to the WTO and an
appropriate agreement based on respect for mutual interests will help strengthen
Russian-Chinese trade and economic relations.
IV
Since its creation in December 2000, the Russian-Chinese Commission on
Educational, Cultural, Health and Sport Cooperation has held three meetings,
developed concrete plans aimed to expand and deepen humanitarian cooperation
between the two countries, and successfully shown its coordinating and governing
role in humanitarian cooperation between the two states. The parties will
continue to tap the potential of this mechanism and enhance the exchange of
cultural achievements of the two great nations.
Given the outbreak of a new illness in the world -- the severe acute respiratory
syndrome -- the parties believe it necessary to invigorate contacts between
health and medical authorities by using available mechanisms of interaction.
The parties attach great significance to the joint fight of Russia and China
against illegal migration and other forms of transborder crime, and to
assistance to cooperation in the law-enforcement field. In a follow-up to the
existing agreements, the parties will create a joint Russian-Chinese working
group on migration that will become operational in the very new future.
V
The Russian-Chinese Committee on Friendship, Peace and Development is a
bilateral non-governmental friendship organization that has been created at the
initiative of the heads of state of the two countries. Over the six years of its
existence, the committee has contributed heavily to the development of bilateral
non-governmental exchanges, the deepening of understanding between the two
nations, the strengthening of traditional friendship and the social framework of
Russian-Chinese relations.
The holding of the fifth plenary session of the committee in Beijing will become
an important event in Russian-Chinese relations this year. The parties will
cooperate closely in preparing the plenary session in order to ensure its
success and will take energetic efforts to encourage contacts between young
people, education and cultural figures, and businesses, and cooperation in the
field of tourism.
VI
The modern world is undergoing complex and deep changes. Peace and development
remain our era's priorities, peace-loving aspirations, hope for stability and
progress are common objectives of people in all countries. However the
international situation is still unstable, some old contradictions have not been
resolved over a long period of time. Traditional and unorthodox security threats
get mixed, the logic of force and the policy of unilateral actions introduce new
factors of instability in the already unstable world. International terrorism
has become a global threat and common evil.
Experience and reality show that in order to solve global problems affecting
international security, stability and the future of universal development, and
to counter common challenges, it is necessary for all states and nations to act
jointly and strengthen international cooperation.
Russia and China advocate a multi-polar, just and democratic world order based
on the mutually recognized principles of international law, harmonious and
rational relations, and co-existence of different states. All countries, as they
seek joint prosperity, should build their relations by respecting and taking
into account mutual interests, encouraging and developing economic ties and
interaction, assisting cultural exchanges and communication, exercising mutual
trust in the sphere of security and readiness to interact, helping develop new
approaches in this field that are based on equality, solidarity and mutual
respect for each other's concerns. It is necessary to resolve disputes through
dialogue and cooperation, strengthen and improve the system of international
relations, ensure the central role of the United Nations in the modern world,
and facilitate the implementation of different models of development. The
tendency toward a multi-polar world is a dominating one. At the same time it's a
difficult process that requires joint international effort.
The parties note a broad coincidence of interests of Russia and China in
international and regional affairs. The relations of partnership and strategic
interaction between the two countries are of key importance as a major factor of
international relations for the future of world politics, preservation of peace,
maintenance of global security and stability. The Russian-Chinese partnership,
including interaction of Russia and China within the UN and other multilateral
forums is making a substantial contribution to the strengthening of
international peace and security. Coordination of foreign policy efforts of the
two countries on a broad range of questions of international life, pursued on a
regular basis through different channels and at different levels, makes it
possible to effectively contribute to solving global and regional problems of
contemporary world.
The sides are declaring their readiness to continue holding consultations and
interacting in international affairs, jointly with other interested states to
make tireless efforts to establish a lasting peace and stability, to contribute
to democratizing international relations.
VII
The parties stressed the priority of using peaceful methods of resolving
disputes and crises on the basis of generally recognized principles of
international law with the aim of settling global and regional questions on a
multilateral basis.
The UN plays an irreplaceable role in the matter of maintaining peace in the
whole world and stimulating concerted development. In the new situation when the
unconditional compliance with the UN Charter is of exceptional importance, the
parties are resolved to make further efforts aimed at strengthening the UN
system.
The parties believe that, in the area of safeguarding international peace and
security, the coordinating role must be played by the UN with its authority,
universality and unique experience. It is necessary to make concerted efforts to
build, with the UN playing the central role, a comprehensive system for opposing
new challenges and threats for the purpose of ensuring international stability,
security and predictable development. Such a system must meet the vital
interests of each state, ensure a long-term socio-economic development and
stability, correspond to the principle of indivisibility of international
security, be based on norms and principles of international law, above all the
UN Charter. It must have a global character, be the widest in scope, ensure the
adoption of comprehensive solutions with account for interrelation between the
new threats and challenges.
VIII
Russia and China maintain a permanent dialogue on the subject area of strategic
stability. The sides are unanimous that in conditions of a new situation in the
area of international security, the comprehensive maintenance of global
strategic stability, active stimulation of the process of disarmament and the
strengthening of multilateral control over arms, effective prevention of the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their delivery
meet the interests of all states. The parties will continue to further
strengthen the coordination and cooperation at all levels, contribute to
building up international efforts in the above-listed areas. At the Conference
on Disarmament, Russia and China have come out with a joint draft of the basis
elements of a future international-legal agreement on preventing the deployment
of weapons in outer space, the use or threat of force in regard to space
objects. The parties will continue the appropriate work on these questions in
cooperation with other states.
IX
Russia and China believe it is necessary in the near future to take measures to
restore internal stability in Iraq. The priority task is to settle the
humanitarian situation in that country. The sides agreed to continue efforts in
this direction and to provide further help to the Iraqi people.
The parties state that the Iraqi crisis must be returned into the mainstream of
political settlement within the UN framework. The central role in the post-war
reconstruction of Iraq must be assigned to the United Nations. Russia and China
are convinced that the appropriate settlement of the Iraqi problem -- one of the
most complex in the modern world -- is possible only within the UN framework,
based on the appropriate resolutions of the UN Security Council.
The parties believe that it is necessary to guarantee Iraq's sovereignty,
political independence and territorial integrity, to respect the will and the
independent choice of the Iraqi people as well as its right to dispose of the
natural resources of the country. The legitimate rights, interests and concerns
of neighboring states and other interested parties must be accommodated in the
process of post-war settlement and rehabilitation in Iraq.
From the moment of the emergence of the Iraqi crisis, Russia and China, together
with the overwhelming majority of the countries of the world have consistently
advocated its political, diplomatic settlement, and made vigorous efforts in
this direction. This position has earned the respect and broad support of
international public.
The parties believe that the interests of the entire world community require to
make concerted efforts to minimize the damage done to international relations as
a result of the war in Iraq. The optimum road for accomplishing the goal is
through strengthening the role of multilateral mechanisms, above all the United
Nations, in solving problems common to the entire world community, strengthening
the international anti-terrorist cooperation, concerted countering of new
threats and challenges on the lasting basis of international law.
X
Russia and China attach much significance to the strengthening of security and
cooperation in the Asian-Pacific Region for the purposes of securing a stable
development and wellbeing of all the states situated there. The parties reaffirm
the readiness to continue efforts to establish in the APR a mechanism --
according with the regional specificities -- of cooperation aiming at securing
regional stability and security as well as the enlargement of interaction with
other states and regional organizations.
Russia and China invariably proceed from the assumption that the emergence of
different bilateral and multilateral mechanisms ought to contribute to enhancing
cooperation and agreement within the APR. Such mechanisms must complement each
other in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, be based
on accommodating the reciprocal interests and the commonality of approaches to
solving the regional and global problems.
The parties believe that the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on matters of security
is a major arena of multilateral political dialogue in the region, and advocate
its enhanced role on matters of safeguarding regional security. The parties
reaffirm their readiness to closely interact within the ARF framework.
The parties believe that the purposes and principles of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization correspond to the modern tendencies of development and realities of
the given region, its stability contributes to strengthening the regional
security and stability. The Moscow summit of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization will become a major milestone on the road of institutionalized
emergence of the Organization and will create conditions for organizing its
full-scale work from the beginning of 2004.
The parties state that preservation of peace and stability on Korean peninsula
meets the security interests of the two countries and also the common
aspirations of the international community. The scenarios of power pressure or
the use of force to resolve the problems existing there are unacceptable.
The parties advocate the creation of a nuclear-free status of Korean peninsula
and observance there of the regime of non-proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. Simultaneously the security of the DPRK must be guaranteed and
favorable conditions must be established for its socio-economic development.
The parties believe that the key to resolving the problems of Korean peninsula
is the political will of the parties involved solving the crisis by political
and diplomatic methods. The parties will continue a close cooperation in the
interests of peace, stability and development on Korean peninsula.
May 27, 2003
Source: Website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
