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China, Russia Issue Beijing Declaration
President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday signed a joint declaration pledging that the two countries will continue to develop their friendly relationship and promote all-round cooperation.
The Beijing Declaration says the state leaders of China and Russia agree to deepen China-Russia relations in the 21st century.
China and Russia, as strategic partners, will press ahead to strengthen their good-neighborly friendship and expand cooperation so that the two countries will grow and prosper.
The declaration says the two countries will work together in the international arena to promote peace and stability in the world.
Jiang and Putin, who is on a state visit to China, held formal talks this morning. Chinese leaders including Li Peng, Zhu Rongji and Li Ruihuan will meet Putin separately in the afternoon.
The two state leaders are satisfied with the development of Sino-Russian relations over the past decade, the statement says.
The two leaders pointed out that the resolve announced by China and Russia in 1996 to develop a strategic partnership of equality, mutual confidence and mutual coordination eyeing the 21st century complies with the fundamental interests of people in the two countries.
They also stressed in the declaration that solidifying the strategic partnership between China and Russia will also help to strengthen the friendship between the Chinese and Russian people, the state-to-state cooperation, the promotion of a multi-polarized world and the building of a just and fair new international order.
Highlights of the declaration are as follows: -- All political documents signed and adopted by China and Russia serve as the solid basis for the healthy development of bilateral relations. The two sides will strictly abide by them and make continuous efforts to push the relationship to higher levels.
-- China and Russia will maintain close and regular contact between the two state leaders, and departments of foreign affairs, national defense, law enforcement, economy, science and technology will also maintain close contact.
-- China and Russia support in the international arena forces of peace, stability, development and cooperation, defy hegemonism, power politics and group politics, and oppose attempts to amend the basic principles of international law, to threaten others by force or to interfere in other countries' internal affairs.
As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and Russia share the responsibility to safeguard the leading role of the UN and its Security Council in maintaining world peace and security, and to push forward multi-polarization of the world.
The two state leaders are satisfied with the achievements of the Shanghai Five Summit held not long ago in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan. They agree that the cooperation among members of the Shanghai Five has reached a new level and should be further promoted.
China and Russia have reached consensus on maintaining security and stability in their neighboring regions.
-- The aim of the joint statement on the anti-ballistic missile treaty signed during this summit is to consolidate global and regional strategic stability, to safeguard the existing system of arms control and disarmament treaties, to accelerate the non- proliferation process of weapons of mass destruction and their carrier vehicles, and to ensure the security of all countries, without exception.
A look at the current world situation reveals the theory that the anti-ballistic missile treaty should be amended on the grounds that some countries are a missile threat is groundless.
-- China and Russia respect each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and firmly oppose any attempts to split the country from within or outside the country.
They understand and support each other's efforts to safeguard national unification, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
National separatism, international terrorism, religious extremism and cross-border criminal activities have endangered the safety of sovereign countries and the peace and stability of the world. China and Russia are determined to take clear-cut measures to crack down on these problems both bilaterally and multi- laterally.
-- Russia reiterated its consistent principled stance on the Taiwan issue, saying that it recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.
Russia will not support any form of Taiwan independence. It supports the People's Republic of China's stance on not accepting "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan."
Russia opposes Taiwan's entry into the United Nations or into any international organization eligible only to sovereign states, and will not sell weapons to Taiwan.
China is truly grateful for Russia's faithful adherence to the "one China" principle on the Taiwan issue.
Both China and Russia believe that the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair. Both believe that no outside force should be allowed to interfere in resolving the Taiwan issue, and stress that such an attempt can only add to the tension in the Asia- Pacific region.
-- The further and comprehensive development of economic, trade, scientific and technological, and military-related technological cooperation between China and Russia is vital for the expansion of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation based on equality and trust.
The two heads of state said they were satisfied with the performance of prime ministers at regularly-held meetings, and think the regular-meeting system plays a major role in promoting bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy and trade, science and technology, national defense, energy (including oil and gas industry), transportation, nuclear industry, aviation and aerospace, and banking.
China and Russia are committed to widening cooperation in specific areas to consolidate the strategic cooperation.
China and Russia will explore possibilities for Russia's participation in the development of China's western regions, including the joint development of oil and gas resources and gas pipeline laying.
Both wish to strengthen cooperation in the sectors of science and technology, education, culture and sports.
-- The two countries believe that the Sino-Russian agreement signed on December 9, 1999, for the joint use of certain islets in border rivers and surrounding waters for economic purposes is unprecedented. The smooth implementation of the agreement marked a major step forward for the two countries to build their border into a bridge of friendship.
In a constructive and pragmatic spirit, China and Russia will continue their talks to speed up resolution of disputes over areas still under negotiation. The status quo should be maintained for the areas until a solution is reached.
-- China and Russia are satisfied with the initial implementation of a treaty signed by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on deepening trust between their militaries, and reducing military forces in border regions.
Both believe the implementation of the pact will promote peace, tranquility, stability and prosperity in the border regions, and push forward the good-neighborly relations among all signatories.
China and Russia think that now is the time to study the possibilities of finding ways to promote trust between all these countries in military matters.
-- It is the common aspiration of the Chinese and Russian peoples to preserve their friendship for generations to come. To this end, tireless effort is required not only from the two governments, but also from the two peoples.
The two countries agree to support the Sino-Russian Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development and to encourage other forms of non-governmental exchange.
-- To build up a long-term and stable relationship between the two countries on the basis of good-neighborly friendship, mutual trust and mutual benefit, the two heads of state agreed to conduct negotiations on preparations for the reaching of the China-Russia Good-Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.
-- Russian President Putin invited Chinese President Jiang Zemin to pay a state visit to Russia at Jiang's convenience in 2001. Jiang thanked him for the invitation and accepted it.
The schedule for the visit will be settled through diplomatic channels.
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