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Jiang's Five-nation European Trip Fruitful: Commentary
President Jiang Zemin's just-concluded five-nation European tour was fruitful, contributed to the promotion of world peace, cooperation and development, said a commentary published by the People's Daily on Friday.
Jiang arrived home Wednesday after winding up his tour to Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Malta.
During his four-day state visit to Russia, Jiang and his counterpart Vladimir Putin signed the Sino-Russian good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation on July 16. The 25-provision treaty, with a validity period of 20 years, sums up the most important guidelines and principles for developing Sino-Russian relations.
It serves the basic interests of China and Russia and also contributes to promoting world stability and provides opportunities for the two countries to develop lasting, stable, good neighborly ties based on mutual benefit and cooperation, said the commentary.
During his first visit to Russia in this new century, Jiang and Putin exchanged views on a wide range of regional and international issues. The two world leaders reached broad consensus, said the article.
The two presidents forged long-term guidelines for the development of Sino-Russian ties in the 21st century by signing the treaty, the commentary affirmed.
As a guideline document on Sino-Russian relations in the new century, the treaty summarizes the main principles, essence and achievements in the development of Sino-Russian ties, and establishes a legal form for the two countries and peoples to boost friendship from generation to generation and never target each other as enemies, the article said.
The signing of the treaty shows the world the willingness and determination of the Chinese and Russian peoples to be good neighbors, good partners and good friends. It not only benefits the long-term, sound and stable development of bilateral relations, but also produces a deep impact on safeguarding peace and stability in the region and in the entire world, said the commentary.
The relations between China and Russia are new-type interstate relations, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and principles of international law. "This kind of relations," the commentary said, "are built on the basis of non-alignment, non- confrontation and not targeting on any third country."
The commentary said: "such new state-to-state relations conform to trends of the times and are beneficial to the maintaining of a global strategic balance and the forming of a multipolar world."
The four proposals that President Jiang made in his speech at Moscow State University are intended to develop Sino-Russian relations in the new century.
Jiang's proposals are intended to lay a sound foundation for enhancing mutual trust and good neighborly relations between the two countries, expanding cooperation in all areas to motivate common development, encouraging cultural exchanges, promoting friendship between the peoples of the two countries, and deepening Sino-Russian strategic collaboration, while making joint efforts to promote world peace and development.
During his visit to Russia, Jiang also conducted direct exchanges with Russian people from all walks of life, which are believed to be beneficial to the advancement of friendship and trust between the peoples of the two countries, the commentary said.
Like Russia, the commentary said, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine are all members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. They have all entered an important stage of development and are now facing the heavy task of invigorating their domestic economies, maintaining unity of all nationalities, and defending national sovereignty and independence, as well as world peace.
All these countries attach great importance to relations with China and would like to strengthen and develop those traditional and friendly relations with China in all areas on a mutually beneficial basis.
During his tour to Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, Jiang held talks with the heads of these countries. They discussed the development of bilateral relations and the promotion of world peace.
News communiques or joint statements signed by China and the three countries reaffirm that China firmly supports their national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and respects the path they have taken to develop themselves according to their own conditions.
President Jiang's visits are aimed at enhancing and developing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science, technology and culture, the commentary stressed.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties nearly 30 years ago, China and Malta have been regarded as exemplary models for large and small nations alike to learn and understand how to coexist peacefully and to treat each other with dignity in regard to equality and mutual respect, the commentary said.
During his meeting with Maltese leaders, Jiang reiterated that China has always believed that all countries, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members in the international community, and can contribute their ideas regarding regional and world peace and development.
The commentary said President Jiang's visit to Malta opens a new chapter in the history of the development of Sino-Maltese relations.
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