The message said, in part:
“Thank you very much for your extended message. I am happy to accept the invitation to attend the 9th informal meeting of APEC leaders in Shanghai on October 20–21 of this year.
“I share your views concerning the Forum’s priorities for the near future and believe they can provide food for discussion at the upcoming summit. We are prepared to carry out detailed consultations with the Chinese side on all items on the APEC agenda. I do not doubt that the APEC Shanghai summit chaired by you will bring tangible positive results.
“Our assessments of the Forum fully coincide. Russia views APEC as a unique mechanism for agreeing positions on key issues concerning the economy, trade and investments, and for pursuing dialogue on economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. We intend to boost Russia’s presence in the Forum’s working bodies and programmes and make a constructive contribution to Asia-Pacific economic integration.
“I would like to avail myself of the opportunity to express once again my satisfaction with our recent productive discussion in Shanghai and also with the exceptional success of the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation leaders. I would like to thank you for your personal warmth and hospitality, as well as for the good organisation of the event by the Chinese side, and for the sincere friendship shown by your people.
“I will be glad to meet with you again in that wonderful city during the APEC summit. I am sure that our fast-developing contacts will serve to further expand and deepen the Russian-Chinese partnership and to strengthen international stability and security.
“I am convinced that your official visit to Russia this July, to which we attach special significance, will raise the relations of partnership between Russia and China to a qualitatively new level.”