President Jiang Meets Russian Former PM Primakov


President Jiang Meets Russian Former PM Primakov
President Jiang Zemin met Tuesday morning with former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, who is now chairman of the Fatherland-All Russia Bloc of the Russian State Duma (Lower House).

Jiang said China-Russia relations have grown smoothly over the past several years as the two countries established a strategic cooperative partnership based on equality and mutual trust.

He stressed that it has been proven by historic facts, that China and Russia increasing mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation on the basis of good-neighborliness will serve the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples as well as the tranquillity and stability of the region and the world as a whole.

Jiang said both China and Russia should treasure their healthy-growing relations after the ups and downs in the last half century. Therefore, he said, the two sides should continue to increase mutual trust and understanding and expand cooperation in various areas.

The parliaments of the two countries should also increase contacts and cooperation so as to help improve mutual understanding, he said.

Primakov, who began his visit to China as guest of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said he, too, thinks it is of great significance to the entire world that Russia and China develop their strategic cooperative relations.

During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China last July, Primakov said, the two sides ensured the smooth growth of Russia-China relations in the new century. He promised that he himself will continue to work towards the improvement of the bilateral relations.



People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/