Russian President Dmitry Medvedev delivers a speech during the celebration for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Russia, in Moscow, capital of Russia, June 17, 2009. [Rao Aimin/Xinhua]

Hu said the bilateral partnership is at a new historical starting point, and the two countries should follow the following guiding principles.

First, mutual trust is the basis of bilateral ties. The bilateral partnership is a priority in China's diplomacy, and to strengthen good neighborly friendship and strategic cooperation with Russia has been, is and will remain China's firm guiding principle.

Second, both sides should act in view of the general situation of the sound and steady development of bilateral relations. It is normal for China and Russia, two countries with different conditions, to have different views on some issues. When dealing with these issues, the general situation should be taken into consideration.

Third, both sides should take a long-term point of view. The two countries should carry forward the concept of peace in fostering friendship from generation to generation and never view each other with hostility, so as to lay a firm social foundation for the sound development of bilateral ties.  

On the spreading international financial crisis, Hu said it was more important and imperative for the two countries to enhance substantial cooperation and promote common development.

He said the two sides should strengthen cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, energy, as well as local-level cooperation.

Hu suggested that the two sides should actively promote the increase of bilateral trade and expand trade in electromechanicals, telecommunications, finance and military technologies.

He said the two sides should comprehensively implement the agreements between the two governments on cooperation in oil so as to lay a firm foundation for long-term, comprehensive and stable energy cooperation between the two sides.

The two sides should also carry out cooperation in renewable and new energy so as to form an all-dimensional and complex energy cooperation pattern, Hu said.

He said the two sides should push forward cooperation at local levels, making it a new rising point in the bilateral partnership.

Hu said humanitarian exchanges between China and Russia have enjoyed an upsurge with the 60th anniversary of establishment of bilateral ties and hosting of the reciprocal language years.

In March this year, the Year of the Russian Language was opened in Beijing. Both sides should well stage celebrations of the 60th anniversary and the language-year activities, he said.

Hu expressed gratitude to the Russian president for inviting Chinese children from Sichuan Province, hard hit by the disastrous earthquake in May last year, to Russian resorts for rehabilitation. China will invite about 1,000 middle school and primary students from Russia to summer camps next year.

Hu said in the midst of complex and challenging international situations, China and Russia should work closely with each other to promote multi-polarization of the world and democratization of international relations, to reform the international financial system, to initiate more talks and cooperation on strategic security issues and to push for proper settlements of regional issues.

Medvedev said the frequent meetings between the Russian and Chinese heads of state have yielded desirable results, indicating a strong and fine momentum of the bilateral relations and further cementing the strategic partnership of cooperation between Russia and China.

Medvedev stressed the importance of mutual cooperation within the bilateral and multilateral frameworks to jointly confront the financial crisis.

Russia and China are in good position to carry forward the good momentum of bilateral relations, especially after important agreements were made during the Shanghai Cooperation Orgainzation (SCO) and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) summits, he said.

Medvedev said Russia attaches great importance to developing its relationship with China. He made several proposals for the development of bilateral relations.

Both sides should deepen political cooperation and win more support from the people for the development of the bilateral relations.

Both sides could work together to broaden economic and trade exchanges in fields such as energy, science and technology, agriculture and telecommunications, and to expand the bilateral trade volume.

Both sides should promote local-level cooperation and cooperation between border areas, so as to create a desirable environment for the life and work of the border residents.

Russia and China should also improve exchanges and coordination in multiple international meetings such as the SCO, BRIC, the Group of 20 and dialogue between the Group of 8 and developing nations, Medvedev said.

He said the two countries should also intensify cooperation in major international and regional issues, and explore new modes of cooperation to jointly tackle the global financial crisis.

After the meeting, Hu and Medvedev attended a documents signing ceremony between the two countries and jointly met the press.

Hu arrived in Moscow on Tuesday night for a three-day state visit to Russia after attending the SCO summit and the meeting of BRIC leaders in Yekaterinburg in central Russia.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2009)