President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Minister, friends, good afternoon,
I believe there is no need to describe Russian-Chinese relations. They are truly at an unprecedentedly high level. Their quality meets the demands of the day and our national interests.
I know the foreign ministries of Russia and China are working in close contact and very intensively, regularly coordinating positions on the main agenda. This is something I would like to thank you for.
I am certain that you discussed many foreign policy issues with your Russian colleague today.
I also proceed from the fact that your visit to Moscow today has to do with preparations for the visit by our great friend, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China to Moscow on May 8. Please convey our best wishes to Mr Xi.
Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi (retranslated): Mr President, we are very grateful that you found the time to meet with us despite your busy schedule. First of all, please allow me to pass on President Xi Jinping’s warm regards.
I would also like to pass on the warmest wishes of Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang and other Chinese leaders.
President Xi Jinping greatly values the high level of cooperation and friendship between you. The President is greatly looking forward to his visit to Russia at your invitation, as well as participation in celebrations on the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
I fully share your high assessment of Chinese-Russian relations. Over the last two years, based on our common interest in China and Russia’s prosperity, as well as in accordance with the dictates of the time, striving toward peace and development, you and President Xi Jinping have achieved strategic leadership planned at the highest level for further promoting Chinese-Russian relations. In this way, the comprehensive strategic cooperation and partnership is developing at a very high level and we are entering a new era.
I would like to note in the presence of the media that according to preliminary data, in the last two years, you and President Xi Jinping have achieved a total of 107 joint agreements on cooperation, 55 of which have already been implemented, with 21 long-term construction projects and 31 that are being actively realised.
Just recently, Director of the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Li Zhanshu visited Russia at the Russian side’s invitation. He held substantive talks with his colleague, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov; they exchanged views on ensuring uninterrupted contacts at the highest level.
I would also like to inform you that my colleague Mr Lavrov and I also maintain close contacts, so that our nations’ Foreign Ministries move along vectors indicated to us by the top leaders in order to move our comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation further into the future, to maintain the high level of momentum in the sustained development of our bilateral relations.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Victory in the World War against Nazism, as well as the Chinese people’s victory in the war against Japanese militarists. This year, we will also mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. This will present us with unique opportunities but we will also face many serious challenges with regard to achieving peace and the development of humankind.
Thus, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major world powers, we must combine efforts to form and strengthen our multilateral strategic partnership and to ensure peace and stability in the region and in the world. I would like to hear your valuable opinion and suggestions on this. I will also report your suggestions personally to the President immediately after returning to China. This is highly useful for maintaining our joint efforts with Mr Lavrov, to conduct political preparations for the series of upcoming bilateral meetings at the highest level.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Minister, you said that President Xi Jinping and I are initiating many things. But you and I are experienced individuals and know that if something is decided at the highest level, this does not mean that it will be implemented in practice.
Our relations serve as a positive example of when initiatives that are formulated at the top are implemented in practice in the work of specific ministries, departments and companies. This speaks to the fact that all our colleagues understand the importance of Russian-Chinese cooperation for bilateral relations, and the value that combined efforts at the Foreign Ministries’ level has for international relations. It is true that they are working in a very professional manner, putting their hearts and souls into the effort.
In this context, cooperation between Foreign Ministries is a very important component in our bilateral ties. I would like to thank you and your colleagues for this joint work.
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