President of the PRC Xi Jinping (retranslated): President Putin,
Once again, I would like to extend my wholehearted welcome to you and all our Russian friends.
Over the past years, and against the backdrop of the challenges in international affairs, China and Russia, being guided by the principles of equality and mutual respect, as well as their commitment to fulfilling their obligations and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, have been building a relationship of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation in a new era. We have been deepening our mutual trust in politics and stepping up cooperation in trade, the economy, investment, energy, science and technology, cultural and humanitarian exchanges and region-to-region cooperation. There is constant positive momentum in forging closer people-to-people ties as well.
The relations between our two countries have entered a new stage of accelerated development with even greater effectiveness. The unwavering commitment to promoting long-term, healthy, stable and quality development in the relations between China and Russia is a strategic choice. We made this choice together with President Putin based on the mutual interests of our two countries and considering global development trends.
President Putin and I have spoken in one voice in support of renewing the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and Russia. It is up to our two countries to fulfil the agreements President Putin and I have reached and to make full use of the historical opportunities in order to further consolidate the foundation of mutual trust between us while reaching new heights in terms of the quality of our cooperation and new breadth in the path to enhance our friendship.
This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan for the country’s national development. China reaffirms its commitment to emerging as a mighty power and reviving the Chinese nation by promoting China-style modernisation. We are committed to becoming increasingly open to the outside world at a high level while sharing our development opportunities with Russia and other countries around the world to build a prosperous future for the humankind.
I pass the floor to you.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Xi Jinping, colleagues, friends,
First of all, allow me to thank you and all our Chinese friends for the warm welcome, for the invitation and for the hospitality extended to us.
We have just held substantive talks in a traditionally friendly and trusting atmosphere that characterises our relations, discussing important issues of bilateral cooperation in a restricted format. We will now continue our discussions in an expanded format.
As is customary, the co-chairs of the five intergovernmental commissions – the deputy prime ministers – will report on their work, while our foreign ministers will speak about coordination on the international stage.
The Russia-China comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation in the new era serves as a model of interstate relations in the modern world. It is founded on the principles of equality and mutual respect for each other’s interests, mutual support, friendship and genuine good neighbourliness.
Our goal is the well-being and prosperity of the Russian and Chinese peoples. These enduring foundations have repeatedly enabled our relationship to withstand tests of strength and resilience.
Over the 25 years since the signing of the landmark Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Russia-China engagement has expanded significantly. Our specialised agencies maintain close and constructive contacts and are actively working to further advance joint projects and initiatives.
We are determined to continue working together in the same spirit. We will continue to develop our bilateral cooperation and to work actively on international platforms, where our colleagues, in close coordination with one another, are creating a strong foundation for sustainable development and for the advancement of a multipolar world.
Thank you very much.
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