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President Xi, dear friend, Ladies and Gentlemen,

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Allow me to begin by expressing my gratitude to President of China Xi 

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Jinping for accepting our invitation to attend the Eastern Economic 

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Forum in Vladivostok, for the first time as the main guest.

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President Xi is accompanied in Vladivostok by a large delegation,

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which includes senior government officials,

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representatives of regional governments and business leaders.

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Tomorrow, President Xi and I, together with the President of Mongolia 

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and prime ministers of Korea and Japan,

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will take part in the forum’s plenary session.

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Today was President Xi’s working visit to Russia.

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It included talks during which we discussed the most urgent bilateral 

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and international matters, and outlined further plans to promote 

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the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation 

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between Russia and China.

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As usual, we paid special attention to trade and economic cooperation.

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We noted with satisfaction that bilateral trade increased by almost one 

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third in the first six months of the year,

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reaching $50 billion.

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We have every reason to believe that by the end of the year,

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trade will reach a record high of $100 billion.

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The signing in May 2018 of the Agreement on Trade and Economic 

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Cooperation between the EAEU and China creates additional opportunities 

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for expanding bilateral trade flows.

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Russia and China reaffirmed their interest in expanding the use 

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of national currencies in bilateral deals,

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which would improve the stability of banking services during export 

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and import transactions under the risky conditions 

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on the global markets.

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Energy is an important area of cooperation.

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Last year, Russia supplied 30 million tonnes of oil to China as part 

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of intergovernmental agreements,

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or over 52 million tonnes when commercial deals are taken into account.

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The construction of the Power of Siberia pipeline is being 

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carried out as planned. The launch is scheduled for late 2019.

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Agreement has been reached on the main conditions for gas 

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supply from the Far East.

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Chinese investors own a large share in the Yamal LNG project.

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Clients in 14 countries, including China,

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have received four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas from this 

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enterprise since December 2017.

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China imports a large proportion of its electricity and coal from 

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Russia. Russian-Chinese cooperation in the peaceful atom sphere is also 

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developing. The first stage of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant is 

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already in operation.

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This year, the third unit has been completed and the fourth 

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is soon to be ready. Rosatom plans to build two more units there.

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We also note the expanding cooperation in science,

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in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

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In addition, cooperation in agriculture is developing.

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Exports of Russian agricultural products to China increased by more 

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than 50 percent during the first six months of this year: for example,

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656,000 tonnes of grain were exported,

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more than during the whole of 2017.

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We continue negotiations aimed at increasing the number of the Russian 

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regions that can export wheat to China and at simplifying mutual 

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supplies of meat and dairy products.

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We consider the strengthening of direct ties between Russian regions 

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and Chinese provinces to be especially important.

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The 2018–2019 Years of Interregional Cooperation should promote this.

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President Xi Jinping and I will also meet with the participants 

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of the roundtable discussion involving heads of Russian 

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and Chinese regions.

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Much work is being done by the Intergovernmental Commission 

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for Cooperation and Development of the Far East and Baikal Region 

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of Russia and Northeast China.

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The second meeting of the commission in Dalian in August focused 

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on the expansion of the border infrastructure 

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and international transport corridors.

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Our humanitarian ties are multifaceted.

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The citizens of both countries show an increasing interest 

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in mutual tourism. I must note that a record number of Chinese fans,

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about 70,000, visited the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

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Our cooperation in education, culture, sports,

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and youth exchanges is deepening.

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We can see growing interaction between our countries in international 

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organisations such as the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation 

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Organisation, BRICS, the G20, and others.

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We will continue our joint efforts towards political and diplomatic 

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settlement on the Korean Peninsula in accordance with 

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the Russian-Chinese roadmap.

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We support the steps taken by the leadership of South and North Korea 

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to restore bilateral relations and hope that the next inter-Korean 

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summit in Pyongyang will be effective.

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We consider the normalisation of relations between North Korea 

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and the United States an important component in the overall 

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stabilisation process on the Korean Peninsula.

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In conclusion, I would like to thank our Chinese friends 

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for an informative and constructive dialogue.

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I am confident that these talks as well as numerous contacts 

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at the Eastern Economic Forum will serve to further the development 

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of friendly relations between our peoples and countries.

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Thank you.

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President Putin, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

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I am very pleased to meet you together with my close friend 

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President Putin. This is my seventh visit to Russia as President 

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of China but it is the first time I take part 

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in the Eastern Economic Forum. I was in Vladivostok eight years ago.

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This time I see a city that looks both familiar as well as new.

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I am sincerely happy that the city is developing dynamically.

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Today in the afternoon President Putin and I held sincere,

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deep and fruitful talks, discussed a wide range of matters related 

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to bilateral relations and the topical international agenda 

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and reached important agreements.

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After this we continued our joint programme: we have a roundtable 

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discussion with the heads of Chinese and Russian regions planned.

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All these events are very important and representative;

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they show how wide and deep our cooperation is.

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Tomorrow President Putin and I will take part in the 4th Eastern 

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Economic Forum where we will discuss cooperation and development plans 

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with countries of the region.

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During the last four months President Putin and I have 

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already had three meetings.

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This intensity of contacts proves the high level and special character 

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of Russian-Chinese relations and stresses their priority 

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in our foreign policy.

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Spanning over a period up until the close of the year President Putin 

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and I have a number of other meetings scheduled which will take place 

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at important events to continue our contacts.

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The President and I agree that since the beginning of this year 

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Russian-Chinese relations have been showing dynamic growth,

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have entered a new era of rapid development and are 

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reaching a higher level.

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The parties reaffirmed firm mutual support in the choice 

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of the development path that agrees with the national features of both 

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countries as well as our security and development interests.

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All of this can serve as an example of what relations should be like 

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between states and neighbour countries.

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We are pleased to see that, step by step,

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joint efforts are turning the political advantages and strategic values 

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of our bilateral relations into substantive results of cooperation.

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The bilateral trade grew to $58.

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3 billion during the first seven months of this year,

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which is 25.8 percent higher than during the same period last year.

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Our trade is making progress.

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Both sides are actively working on the rapprochement of the projects 

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One Belt, One Road and the EAEU,

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promoting large strategic projects in the energy sector, aviation,

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space and transport links and also developing our cooperation in new 

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spheres, such as finance, agriculture,

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and e-commerce. Cooperation is impressive both in quantity and quality,

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it’s being filled with new content and its borders are expanding.

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We are developing our cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

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The ties between citizens of our countries are becoming 

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increasingly closer. Records are being broken one after another when it 

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comes to the number of student exchanges and tourists.

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We are particularly pleased to note the strengthening of the mutual 

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understanding and friendship among young people.

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The Ocean Russian Children’s Centre in Vladivostok is the best example 

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of love and friendship and demonstrates the true feelings 

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of our young people. I am sure that this will build up 

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the inexhaustible strength of friendship between China and Russia.

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This and next years are years of interregional cooperation 

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between China and Russia.

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A number of major events are being held in this connection.

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The regional cooperation mechanism in the formats Northeast of China –

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Russia’s Far East and the Yangtze Volga rivers is developing.

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Contacts and cooperation between other regions of our 

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countries are also growing.

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President Putin and I reaffirm our active support for comprehensive 

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interregional cooperation and the establishment of twin ties between 

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cities, provinces and regions, and all-round interregional cooperation 

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for promoting friendship of our nations.

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I am sure that tomorrow’s Eastern Economic Forum will give a fresh 

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impetus to the deepening of interregional cooperation 

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in the Far East as well as other areas.

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As permanent members of the UN Security Council and leading countries 

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in the developing markets, China and Russia bear enormous 

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responsibility for the maintenance of peace and stability together with 

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the promotion of the development and prosperity all over the world.

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We have similar or identical positions on international matters,

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broad common interests and firm foundations for cooperation.

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China-Russia cooperation in maintaining equality, justice,

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peace and stability throughout the entire world is gaining ever more 

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importance against a backdrop of growing instability 

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and unpredictability on a global scale.

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Together with our Russian colleagues we will be promoting our fruitful 

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cooperation in international affairs and step up our coordination 

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at multilateral venues, such as the UN, SCO,

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and BRICS. In cooperation with the international community we will 

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facilitate political settlement of urgent matters and hot spots 

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and firmly uphold the goals and principles of the UN Charter.

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We will work together against the unilateral approach and trade 

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protectionism, and for the creation of a new type of international 

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relations and common destiny of humankind.

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I would like to sincerely thank President Putin and our Russian friends 

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once again for the warm and hospitable welcome accorded to the Chinese 

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delegation during its visit to the Far East.

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I would also like to wish tomorrow’s Eastern Economic Forum 

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every success.

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Thank you.