Entering February, the festive atmosphere in Beijing is getting stronger. The Spring Festival of the Year of the Tiger and the Winter Olympics are coming one after another, and the "City of The Two Olympics" has attracted global attention.
Celebrating the Winter Olympics and celebrating the New Year together, Russian President Vladimir Putin also visited China and attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Familiar place, kind friends. This will be President Putin's second visit to China in the past three years, and it will also be his 38th meeting with President Xi Jinping since 2013.
More than a month ago, the heads of state of China and Russia met "in the clouds." President Xi Jinping's words still ring in his ears: "I am very much looking forward to our 'Winter Olympics Covenant' and am willing to work with you to 'move towards the future together' and jointly open a new chapter in China-Russia relations in the post-epidemic period." ”
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From Sochi to Beijing – neighbors do happy events and come to celebrate
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way countries interact with foreign countries, and President Putin's visit to Beijing is particularly unusual. "The first offline meeting between the two heads of state in the past two years" and "a major event in international relations at the beginning of this year" ... Special schedules, special friendships, special meanings.
"Neighbors do happy events, of course, I want to come to congratulate you in person", on the occasion of the Chinese New Year Festival in 2014, President Xi Jinping flew to Sochi, Russia, to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, which was the first time that a Chinese head of state attended a large-scale international sports event held abroad. At the Beijing Winter Olympics, President Putin took the lead in determining to come to China to attend the opening ceremony, and repeatedly expressed his confidence in China's success in hosting the Games, "There is every reason to believe that the Beijing Winter Olympics will show a real high level and write a glorious chapter for the history of the world Olympic family."
From the shore of the Black Sea to the foot of Yanshan Mountain, the "Winter Olympics Mutual Visits" spanning 8 years have become a vivid witness of the mutual support of China and Russia in handling major events and happy events.
"Relatives are getting closer and closer, and friends are getting closer and closer." The land of China and Russia, from winter to spring, has left the footprints of the heads of state of the two countries.
Remember the celebration of Victory Day on Moscow's Red Square, where fighter planes flew over the sky in formation, President Xi Jinping and President Putin stood shoulder to shoulder in the first row of the viewing platform, with a solemn look; unforgettable "9.3" military parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, guests from all over the world climbed the stairs along the red carpet to watch the ceremony, president Xi Jinping and President Putin walked side by side and talked warmly. In 2017 and 2019, President Putin led a delegation to attend the two "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forums; The Eastern Economic Forum and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the two major Russian home diplomacy, President Xi Jinping personally went to the scene to deliver a speech.
On the evening of January 31, 2022, the Hermitage Bridge, a landmark building in St. Petersburg, Russia, lit up with "Chinese Red" to welcome the arrival of the Spring Festival of the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese lunar calendar. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Mo Jinna)
He who communes with his heart becomes a long time. "Good friend, old friend, true friend" has become the most affectionate name for President Xi Jinping and President Putin to each other.
——Every detail reflects the intention of good friends, old friends and true friends.
After the opening ceremony of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Chinese side made a special arrangement to hold a ceremony at the Friendship Hotel to award an honorary doctorate from Tsinghua University to President Putin. In the quaint garden of Sino-Soviet friendly exchanges, recalling the past more than half a century ago, President Xi Jinping told President Putin that "there is more contact with history here."
During the CICA Dushanbe summit, President Putin went to President Xi Jinping's hotel with a carefully prepared birthday cake and Russian ice cream to congratulate President Xi Jinping on his birthday in person. The two leaders recalled celebrating President Putin's birthday in Bali, Indonesia, with a smile.
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In March 2013, Xi Jinping visited Russia for the first time since he assumed the presidency. On the first day of arrival in Moscow, President Putin accompanied him throughout the journey, which lasted 8 hours.
In June 2018, President Putin chose China as the first country to make a state visit in his new term. In the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, President Xi Jinping solemnly hung the first "Friendship Medal" of the People's Republic of China on the chest of President Putin.
——One exchange after another, constantly deepening the understanding and trust between good friends, old friends and true friends.
In June 2018, President Xi Jinping and President Putin took the high-speed train to Tianjin to attend the Sino-Russian friendly exchange activities. A long table, sitting opposite each other, the two leaders talked with great interest about the experience of planning the layout of the transport network.
In June 2019, President Xi Jinping and President Putin toured the Neva River together and jointly boarded the cruiser Aurora, which fired the first cannon of the October Revolution, to reminisce about the glory days. After disembarkation, the two leaders moved to the Winter Palace and talked deeply until midnight.
In the exchanges between the heads of state of China and Russia, the topics of exchange have become more and more extensive, the cooperation discussed has become more and more solid, and the degree of communication has become deeper and deeper, which is unique among the leaders of major countries.
President Xi Jinping explained the "secret of friendship" between the Chinese and Russian heads of state: "We have similar views on the current world trend, share the same concept in governing the country, and shoulder the historical responsibility of the development and revitalization of the two countries." Most importantly, we have a highly consistent understanding of the strategic significance of Sino-Russian relations and have the same determination and desire to promote the sustained and in-depth development of bilateral relations. ”
From promoting "friendship from generation to generation" to rushing to the "sea of stars" - the head of state's directional navigation, Sino-Russian cooperation has been upgraded in quality and better benefited the two peoples
A little bit of tired soil, layer by layer of compaction. Sino-Russian relations are in the best period in history, and have become a major country relationship with the highest degree of mutual trust, cooperation and strategic value, and the key to this is the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.
Every step forward in Sino-Russian relations is inseparable from the joint drawing and personal promotion of the two heads of state: the joint signing of a joint statement on win-win cooperation and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in 2013, the joint signing of the joint statement on the new stage of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in 2014, and the joint statement on further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in 2017... On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia in 2019, President Xi Jinping and President Putin jointly announced the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia in the new era.
The 20th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation in 2021. On the eve of the centenary of the Communist Party of China, in Beijing and Moscow, President Xi Jinping and President Putin "met in the clouds." Adhering to the original intention of "friendship and win-win cooperation from generation to generation", the two heads of state officially announced the extension of the treaty and gave it a new connotation of the times.
These major advances in Sino-Russian cooperation have condensed the efforts of the two heads of state: 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", jointly decided to establish the China-Russia Energy Business Forum, visited the Great Wall Motor Tula Prefecture Factory Off-Line Auto Show, and witnessed the production and ventilation of the China-Russia East Line natural gas pipeline...
These touching moments of Sino-Russian friendship have left the figures of the two heads of state: visiting the "Ocean" All-Russian Children's Center together, visiting the students in the Earthquake-stricken Areas of Sichuan who were recuperating there and the Russian teachers who took care of them; watching the Sino-Russian Youth Ice Hockey Friendly Game together, clapping and greeting the young players one by one; attending the opening ceremony of the Panda Pavilion of the Moscow Zoo together, interacting with the children cordially and taking photos... The warm scenes are unforgettable.
On December 10, 2019, the players of China and Russia competed in the second Sino-Russian Youth Ice Hockey Friendly Tournament held in Tianjin, China. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Ping
Under the COVID-19 pandemic, President Xi Jinping and President Putin have maintained frequent interactions in an innovative way of "cloud diplomacy". Telephone calls, video meetings, exchange of letters on important holidays, congratulatory letters to the meeting of the dialogue mechanism of the Chinese and Russian ruling parties, "cloud witness" the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sino-Russian nuclear energy cooperation project, "cloud attendance" of the other side's major home diplomatic activities... The century-old changes and the epidemic situation of the century, the two heads of state have led the way, the Direction of Sino-Russian relations has not been biased, the momentum has not decreased, and it has continued to develop at a higher level, in a wider range of fields and at a deeper level.
Let's take a look at the shining report card of Sino-Russian cooperation - traditional and emerging fields go hand in hand, from energy to infrastructure, from communications to aerospace, cooperation "heaven into the earth", hand in hand to the "sea of stars". The quality and volume of cooperation have been improved simultaneously, and cooperation has become more pragmatic, more grounded and more beneficial to people's livelihood. In 2021, the trade volume between China and Russia reached 146.887 billion US dollars, an increase of 35.8% year-on-year, hitting a record high...
The time to leave the old and welcome the new is also the time to carry on the past and open up the future. In 2022, the Communist Party of China will convene the 20th National Congress, and Russia will enter a critical period of implementation of the National Development Goals by 2030. During the Beijing meeting, the two heads of state will issue important outcome documents, and the two sides will also sign a series of cooperation documents to fully demonstrate the "unique all-round relationship" between the two countries.
This is the giant panda "Tintin" photographed at the Moscow Zoo in Russia on June 4, 2019. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueqi
From "shoulder to shoulder" and "back to back" to "together for the future" - jointly defending international fairness and justice, so that the world can see what a big country should look like
"We support traditional Olympic values, first and foremost equality and justice." Before leaving for China, President Putin held a video link with Russian athletes who are about to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics, which was widely reported by the media.
At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Russia will send a huge delegation of more than 460 people. Firmly opposing the politicization of sports and always adhering to the Olympic spirit of "unity and fraternity, fair competition and mutual understanding", China and Russia, as major powers in the world, have demonstrated the spirit of unity, which is particularly precious for a world that has entered a period of turbulent change and encountered multiple crises.
Russian youth watch a gift from the Chinese government at the "Ocean" All-Russian Children's Center in Vladivostok, Russia, on January 16, 2019. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Gang
In his first visit to Russia in 2013, in a speech at the Moscow Institute of International Relations, President Xi Jinping positioned the world significance of Sino-Russian relations in this way: "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. It is also here that President Xi Jinping for the first time elaborated on a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as the core to the world, and advocated that all countries work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
With the rapid changes in the world, the changing times, and the leadership of the two heads of state all the way, China and Russia have always kept in mind the responsibility of major powers, firmly demonstrated the responsibility of major powers, and become a model of major country relations.
A woman watches the "Beijing Winter Olympics, Together for the Future" Photo Exhibition in Moscow, Russia, on January 21, 2022. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Yevgeni Sinitzen)
In the face of unilateralism, hegemonism and power politics, China and Russia firmly defend the international system with the United Nations at the core and the international order based on international law, jointly promote the constructive role of the SCO and BRICS countries, continue to promote the in-depth docking of the "Belt and Road" with the Eurasian Economic Union, and inject strong momentum into international cooperation.
In the face of the sudden arrival of the new crown epidemic, China and Russia have actively carried out anti-epidemic cooperation, leading the world in vaccine research and development, production and external provision, leading the international community to unite in the fight against the epidemic in the right direction. In response to the argument of politicizing the epidemic, President Putin made it clear that some people's attempts to smear China on the source of the virus are unacceptable, and russia is willing to continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields such as fighting the epidemic.
Passengers walk inside MichurinEvra Station in the southwest section of the Moscow Metro Interchange Ring Line, built by China Railway Construction, in Moscow, the capital of Russia, on December 7, 2021. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Yevgeni Sinitzen)
In the face of ideological disputes and social system antagonisms provoked by certain countries, China and Russia continue to pursue the "four mutual firm supports", jointly carry forward the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind, actively expound the correct connotation of democracy and human rights in the international arena, and advocate the pluralistic coexistence and harmonious coexistence of different ethnic groups, different systems and civilizations.
The more turbulent the world, the more it needs the strength to stabilize people's hearts; the more times of crisis, the more it needs to inspire the responsibility of cooperation.
The Beijing Winter Olympics are heading for the world. Let us look forward to the "Winter Olympics Treaty" and "New Year Meeting" of the Chinese and Russian heads of state. As The Russian ambassador to China Denisov said, this is "a festival of human solidarity and a festival that embodies the community of human destiny advocated by China."
Text reporters: Hao Weiwei, Xie Lin, Shang Jing, He Mengshu
Participating reporters: Wang Moying, Wei Zhongjie, Yang Dehong, Geng Pengyu
Video reporters: Wang Moying, Xu Zhongzhe, Chen Yan, Li Linyin, Zhou Tianfei, Wu Zhuang, Meng Jing
Poster Design: Qian Cheng
New Media Editor: Qiu Shijie