In a written interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters on the eve of his state visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia and China will promote the prosperity and development of the two countries by expanding equal and mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic and cultural fields. Strengthening foreign policy coordination and promoting the building of a fair multipolar world order will determine the bright future of the Russian-Chinese comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era.
Putin said that contemporary Russian-Chinese relations transcend ideology, and no matter how the political situation changes, the multi-level development of bilateral relations is a conscious strategic choice, which is based on the broad convergence of fundamental interests between the two countries, in-depth mutual trust, strong public support, and sincere friendship between the two peoples. The two countries have made joint efforts to safeguard sovereignty, territorial integrity and security.
"In a broader sense, we contribute to the prosperity of Russia and China by expanding equal and mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic and humanitarian spheres; We will promote the building of a fair and multipolar world order by strengthening foreign policy coordination. All these have determined the bright future of our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era. Putin said.
He said that the Russian-Chinese partnership has always been built on the basis of the principles of equality, mutual trust, mutual respect for sovereignty, and consideration of each other's interests. A wise and far-sighted statesman like President Xi Jinping plays a pivotal and unique role in the development of bilateral relations.
"I first met President Xi Jinping in March 2010, and since then, we have met and spoken on the phone frequently. He showed humility, friendliness, honesty and pragmatism in his communication. Putin said that each meeting between the two is not only an exchange between old friends, but also a fruitful exchange of views on the most pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda.
Putin recalled that in 2013, President Xi Jinping, as China's head of state, made Russia his first visit. After being re-elected President of the People's Republic of China in March last year, President Xi Jinping's first foreign trip was a state visit to Russia. We spent nearly five hours together, had a deep one-on-one conversation, and the next day attended an informative formal event.
"It was the unprecedented high level of partnership between the two countries that made me decide to choose China as the first country I visited after officially becoming President of the Russian Federation." Putin stressed.
He said: The Russian and Chinese peoples have a long and deep tradition of friendship and cooperation, which is also one of the most important foundations of bilateral relations. Today, Russian-Chinese relations have reached an all-time high, and they continue to strengthen even in the face of a grim international situation.
Putin noted that this year is a special year for both countries. October 1 will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. China is embracing this important historical moment with outstanding achievements. As a tried and reliable friend, Russia is pleased with China's achievements. Over the past three-quarters of a century, the two countries have traversed a long and sometimes tortuous path, drawing on the historical experience of different stages of their relations. Today, the two countries realize that complementing each other's strengths is injecting strong impetus into the comprehensive and rapid development of bilateral relations.
Talking about bilateral economic and trade cooperation, Putin pointed out that Russia-China economic and trade relations have developed rapidly, demonstrating the ability to continuously respond to external challenges and crises. In the past five years, the trade volume between the two countries has doubled. China has been Russia's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years, and in 2023 Russia rose to fourth place in the ranking of China's trading partners. More than 90% of settlements between companies in the two countries are made in national currencies.
Putin said that the two sides are continuously and systematically developing strategic cooperation in the field of energy, and a number of new large-scale projects are being launched. The supply of Russian agricultural products to the Chinese market is gaining momentum, initiatives in the field of investment and production are being implemented, and transport and logistics corridors between the two countries are steadily operating and growing.
"I am confident in the grand prospects for Russian-Chinese economic relations." "Russia and China will strive to cooperate more closely in the fields of industry and high technology, space and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and other innovations," Putin stressed. We will also continue to create favourable legal and organizational conditions for this and to develop transport and financial infrastructure. ”
This year and next will be the Year of Culture between China and Russia. According to Putin, Russia and China have been closely linked for generations, not only because the two countries share a long common border, but also because the two sides maintain close cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges. The interest in Chinese culture and art in Russian society today is high. At present, about 90,000 students in Russia are learning Chinese. Tours and exhibitions by creative groups with the participation of Chinese artists have been a great success. Tourist flows continue to soar, with more than 730,000 Russian citizens visiting China last year.
"I know that the Chinese are also eager to get to know Russian literature, art and traditions more closely. Our amazing troupe and musicians regularly perform in China, and the museum hosts a variety of exhibitions. We are more than happy to continue to show our Chinese friends the rich and colorful history, creativity and cultural heritage of multi-ethnic Russia. Putin said.
Putin also shared his personal views on Chinese culture: "I have always had a keen interest in further exploring unique and unique Chinese traditions, especially during my visit to China. I know a lot about Chinese martial arts, which are very popular in Russia. I have a lot of respect for Chinese philosophy. My family is also fascinated by China, and some of them are learning Chinese. ”
Putin spoke highly of the cooperation between Russia and China in the international arena. He noted that the two countries hold similar or identical positions on key issues on the international agenda. Both countries uphold the primacy of international law and advocate the building of balanced, indivisible, comprehensive and sustainable global and regional security, while playing the central coordinating role of the United Nations. Neither Russia nor China accepts Western attempts to impose an order based on lies, hypocrisy and the fabrication of rules out of thin air.
At present, multilateral mechanisms such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are uniting the countries of the "Global South" in a spirit of equality, openness, transparency and inclusiveness to promote the reform of the global governance system. Putin said: With our active participation, a number of multilateral organizations and mechanisms independent of the West have been established and are operating smoothly, and their operation is based on the principles of equality, fairness, openness, respect and consideration of each other's interests.
"The SCO and BRICS countries are convincing examples of such mutually beneficial cooperation. As the key fulcrum of the emerging multipolar world order, they have firmly established themselves. The SCO and BRICS countries have become a thriving authoritative international platform, within the framework of which various actors are working constructively in the political, security, economic and humanitarian spheres. Suffice it to say that other countries are increasingly interested in the activities of the SCO and BRICS, and the number of their members is constantly increasing. Putin said.
With the expansion of membership as a new starting point, the BRICS cooperation mechanism has entered a new era of "big BRICS cooperation". Russia holds the rotating presidency of the BRICS this year. Putin said that Russia's chairmanship of the BRICS is steadily advancing. Work in the three major areas of cooperation in political security, economy and finance, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges has been carried out in an all-round way. Russian ministries, business circles and all sectors of society have prepared an extremely rich agenda. More than 200 events are planned during the Presidency.
Putin said that one of the main goals of Russia's chairmanship of the BRICS is to promote the organic integration of the new members into the BRICS and actively help them integrate into the existing cooperation mechanisms. Another priority is to continue coordination efforts to strengthen the authority of BRICS countries in global affairs and enhance their capacity to promote a more democratic, stable and just system of international relations.
"BRICS cooperation upholds the spirit of mutual respect, equal treatment and open consultation. This is why the mechanism is so attractive to countries in the 'Global South' and 'Global East'. In the eyes of these countries, the BRICS is a platform where their voices can be heard and valued. Putin said.
Commenting on China's propositions and efforts on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, Putin said that Russia has a positive assessment of China's position. China is well aware of the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and its global geopolitical implications, which is also reflected in the 12-point proposal of China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis, released by China in February 2023. The ideas and proposals set out in the document demonstrate the sincere desire of our Chinese friends to contribute to stabilizing the situation.
Putin stressed that the four principles for the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis recently put forward by President Xi Jinping are an organic complement to the above-mentioned documents. The pragmatic and constructive measures put forward by China are a development of the idea that we must abandon the Cold War mentality, adhere to the principle of indivisible security, abide by the norms of international law and abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and pay attention to their comprehensiveness, comprehensiveness and interrelationship.
Putin said that Russia has never refused negotiations and hopes to resolve the conflict comprehensively, sustainably and justly through peaceful means. "We are open to dialogue on Ukraine, but these negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in this conflict, including those of Russia."
Putin also gave a briefing on plans and goals for the construction of the country during the new term of office. He said that the tasks set out in the State of the Union address delivered on February 29 this year, such as advancing the development of all regions of the country, promoting economic and social development, increasing the birth rate, supporting families with children, and eradicating poverty and inequality, are of great relevance. "We understand the scale of these tasks and how to solve them. We have the will of the people to do this, the necessary resources and potential, and the experience of the collaboration between the State, business and civil society. ”
Putin noted that Russia is now among the top five in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. Our task now is to become the fourth largest economy in the world, the most important of which is to improve the quality and efficiency of development in all areas and to improve the well-being of Russian citizens.
Putin stressed that he believes that Russia will be able to achieve all its strategic plans. "In this regard, we are ready to cooperate with our partners around the world, including our good neighbor and reliable friend - China."
Source: People's Daily