Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Boris Yeltsin released a joint press communique in Beijing on December 10 at the conclusion of their second informal summit.

Following is the main contents of the communique:

Russian President Boris Yeltsin visited China at the invitation of President Jiang Zemin of the People' Republic of China on December 9 and 10, during which the two heads of state held their second informal summit in Beijing.

President Yeltsin also met with Li Peng, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Premier Zhu Rongji.

The leaders of the two countries pointed out with satisfaction that the equal, trustworthy strategic partnership of cooperation oriented toward the 21st century which was established in 1996 continues to expand. Also, the agreement reached by the two heads of state during their first informal summit in Moscow in November 1998 has achieved substantial results.

In accordance with the results of this latest summit, the two sides issued a joint statement defining their positions on the basic issue of safeguarding global strategic stability, clearly demonstrating their firm determination to take coordinated actions and oppose any threat to global stability.

Russia supports China's principled stand on the issue of Taiwan, while China supports Russia's operations against terrorism and separatists in Chechnya.

The two sides signed protocols between the Chinese and Russian governments on delineating the eastern and western borders between China and Russia during the summit.

The president of the People's Republic of China and the president of the Russian Federation highly praised the completion of border demarcations already agreed upon by the two states, stressing that they will continue to seek solutions for borders not yet agreed upon, in a constructive and practical spirit. Both sides believe it is important to take effective measures to maintain the status quo of the borders and safeguard normal order along them.

During the informal meeting, the two sides also signed an agreement on the joint use of several islets and surrounding waters in border rivers, a key step for promoting cooperation in the border areas.

According to the agreement, residents in some China-Russia border areas have the right to continue engaging in traditional economic activities within five years on certain islets and neighboring waters which have been declared the territory of the other side as a result of border demarcation.

This agreement accords with the interests of residents in the border areas, and reflects the high-level of trust between the two nations.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing implementation of the agreements on Confidence-Building in the Military Field and Mutual Arms Reduction in the Border Areas of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, holding that the careful implementation of these two agreements will promote peace, tranquillity, stability and prosperity in the border areas, and enhance the development of good-neighborly relations. Both sides believe it is appropriate to further research the possibilities for strengthening trust in the military field.

For the purpose of consolidating Sino-Russian good-neighborly relations, both sides call for enhanced dialogue on bilateral border agreement in line with the spirit enshrined in the fourth regular meeting between the premiers of China and Russia in Moscow in February, 1999. The mechanism for dialogue will be discussed bilaterally.

Both Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin were positive about the implementation of the agreement reached between the two premiers.

The fifth regular meeting between the premiers will be held in Beijing in the first half of next year, both sides agreed.

During their meeting, the two premiers will express their preferences for expediting bilateral cooperation in such fields as gas, advanced technology, transportation, civil aviation, and communications, and seek substantial measures to promote bilateral cooperation in mechanical engineering, electronics, light-industry, textiles, the development and use of forest resources, and the production of home electrical appliances.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the construction of the largest Sino-Russian cooperation project, the Tianwan Nuclear Station in east China's Jiangsu Province which commenced in October.

This project is very significant for establishing direct economic ties between the two countries, both sides reiterated, adding that it will also give full play to the potential for trade and economic cooperation. More regions are encouraged to join in regional cooperation between the two countries, including cooperation between bordering areas, both sides agreed.

Concrete plans for strengthening cooperation in environmental protection also should be made, taking reasonable advantage of commonly owned waters and forests, areas in the northern Pacific, and aquatic resources in the river basin of the Heilongjiang River, and for the preservation of rare plants and animal species.

Both sides also agreed that the use of commonly owned waters, including those rivers that flow through a third country, should take into consideration the interests of the countries concerned.

Both presidents emphasized the importance of cooperation between law enforcement departments to operate jointly against international terrorism, national separatists, religious extremism, illegal immigration, and trans-national crimes in any form.

Departments responsible in both countries will produce concrete plans in this regard and will sign inter-governmental documents.

Both sides were satisfied with having reached consensus on regulating mutual visits by the citizens of both countries, adding that relevant inter-governmental agreements will be signed soon.

Russian President Yeltsin invited Chinese President Jiang Zemin to visit Russia at an appropriate time, and Jiang expressed his thanks and accepted the invitation. The schedule for the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels.