A senior Chinese diplomat on Thursday hailed China-Russia relations, saying the current bilateral relations have reached an unprecedented level.

 

Li Hui, assistant foreign minister, made the remarks at a press conference on the 'Year of Russia' in China, to be inaugurated during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit on March 21 and 22.

 

China and Russia have thoroughly solved border issues and supported each other on major issues concerning the two countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity with increasing mutual trust, Li said.

 

"The two sides have expanded cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, energy, science and technology and humanities, which brought about tangible benefits for the two peoples," he said.

 

The two countries have also kept close coordination on international issues such as UN reform, the Korean and Iranian nuclear issues, and the building of a multipolar world, he said.

 

"China and Russia are each other's largest neighbors and important strategic partners," Li said, noting that bilateral ties ensuring the long-lasting friendship between the two peoples serve as the two government's long-term policy.

 

During Putin's visit China and Russia will sign a joint statement and a series of documents on bilateral relations, Li said.

 

President Hu Jintao and Putin will hold talks and exchange views on further increasing bilateral strategic and cooperative partnership as well as major international and regional issues of common concern.

 

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Premier Wen Jiabao will also meet with Putin respectively.

 

Both Hu and Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the 'Year of Russia', to be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

 

China and Russia will hold about 200 activities, including eight large ones, for the 'Year of Russia' in China this year, Li said.

 

Other activities marking the occasion include economic and business summits, national exhibitions, Russian culture week, investment promotion week and a legislature roundtable meeting.

 

Putin to discuss energy cooperation with China: Russian ambassador

 

Putin will discuss the possibility of building an oil pipeline from eastern Siberia to China, Russian Ambassador Sergei Razov told the same press conference.

 

He said that discussions on the feasibility of the construction of an oil pipeline extending from Russia's Skovorodino to the Russia-China border are underway between Transneft of Russia and China National Petroleum Corporation, which are to take charge of the pipeline construction.

 

The proposed pipeline will be a branch of a planned oil pipeline that runs from eastern Siberia to Russia's Pacific coast. Razov said Russia-China cooperation in the field of energy is "very important." He expressed the hope that during Putin's visit, both sides will reach new agreement on energy development. Energy cooperation between Russia and China has a broad prospect and bright future, he added.

 

Razov said Russia plans to supply 15 million tons of crude oil to China by railways in 2006. In addition, the two countries are discussing exports of natural gas to China.

 

He said relevant corporations of Russia and China are jointly studying the feasibility and plan of exporting gas to China. The current task of the two sides is to complete the business discussions, which are key to the signing of a large-scale contract of gas supply.

 

On nuclear energy cooperation, Razov said the construction of the Tianwan nuclear plant in Lianyungang in east China's Jiangsu Province is the largest project in the two countries' bilateral economic cooperation. The project will lay the foundation for future cooperation on peaceful use of nuclear energy, he said.

 

Razov said Russia is willing to play an active role in the development and implementation of China's nuclear power plan.

 

Razov also said that military cooperation is not the most important part of Russia-China relations.

 

He told the media not to pay too much attention to the military programs during the 'Year of Russia', which after all account for only a portion of all the programs.

 

The 'Year of Russia' in China in 2006 and the 'Year of China' in Russia in 2007 were declared in a joint statement last year. The two goodwill programs will involve a wide spectrum of areas designed to enhance mutual understanding between the two countries and peoples.

 

China and Russia have stepped up their cooperation in such fields as political trust, trade, military and energy cooperation. In August 2005, the two armed forces launched their first-ever joint military drill.

 

"The two armies have conducted close coordination in terms of combat capability and technique," said Razov.

 

He said the military drill was aimed at boosting bilateral cooperation in fighting against terrorism and promoting peace and stability in the region.

 

"The drill and the military cooperation between the two countries are not targeted at any third party," Razov said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2006)