President Xi Jinping, my dear friend, ladies and gentlemen,
I am very pleased to receive President of the People’s Republic
of China Xi Jinping in Russia.
This state visit by China’s President is taking place in a year that
marks an important date – the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations
between our countries.
I am pleased to note that Russian-Chinese relations have reached
an unprecedentedly high level.
This is a truly comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction.
Mr Xi Jinping and I maintain close contact.
We regularly exchange visits, talk on the sidelines of international
events and pay close attention to Russian-Chinese cooperation
in the political, economic, humanitarian and other spheres.
In the course of the talks that just ended,
we discussed the current state of and prospects for bilateral
cooperation in a business-like and constructive manner and reviewed,
in substance, important international issues while paying close
attention to Russia-China cooperation in areas that are truly important
for both countries. During our discussion and while speaking with our
colleagues at the table, I noted that specific and comprehensive work
was underway in each area, in addition to the interaction
mechanisms that we now have in place.
As a result, as we all saw, we signed an impressive package
of documents, notably, the Joint Statement on Developing Comprehensive
Partnership and Strategic Interaction Entering a New Era,
which sets new ambitious goals and long-term benchmarks for cooperation.
Naturally, we discussed issues of economic cooperation in detail.
China firmly holds the position of Russia’s leading foreign
trade partner. Last year trade went up by a quarter to reach a record
$108 billion. Tangible success was achieved in investment.
About 30 investment projects worth a total of $22 billion are underway
with our Chinese partners and Chinese capital.
A substantial part of these funds is being invested in projects
in the Russian Far East ($3.5 billion).
Russia and China intend to develop the practice of conducting financial
transactions in our national currencies.
We have just signed an intergovernmental agreement to further expand
the use of the ruble and the yuan in bilateral trade to ensure
the failsafe bank servicing of transactions in conditions
of instability on global markets.
Our energy cooperation is making good progress.
Russia leads in oil distribution to China: last year 67 million tonnes
of raw materials were sent to China.
A gas pipeline to the PRC along the so-called eastern route will enter
service in December. Talks are underway on potential fuel exports
westwards and also from the Russian Far East.
Cooperation on the production and sale of LNG is being increased.
The third stage of the Yamal LNG plant opened in November,
one year ahead of schedule.
A sizeable share in this plant –
almost 30 percent (29.9 percent)
belongs to China. We welcome cooperation on another large
project – Arctic LNG 2.
The breakthrough agreements on peaceful nuclear energy development
reached during our visit to China last year are being carried out.
A general contract to build the third and fourth units
of the Xudabao Nuclear Power Plant has been signed.
The construction of a demonstration fast-neutron reactor is getting
started in China with participation of Rosatom.
We focus a lot on strengthening bilateral cooperation
in the manufacturing industry.
The opening of a plant operated by China’s leading automaker,
Great Wall Motors, is timed to coincide with President Xi’s visit.
This plant will use advanced technology to make 80,000 vehicles annually,
and local content will reach about 70 percent.
Today, the President and I will see the products that will
be made at the new plant.
Our plans include projects in aircraft and helicopter manufacturing,
space exploration, biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals and other knowledge-intensive industries.
We agreed to hold years of Russian-Chinese scientific,
technical and innovation cooperation in 2020 and 2021.
We have good prospects for agro-industrial production.
The possibility of creating a Russian-Chinese agricultural holding
company in the Primorye Territory with an investment of 10 billion
rubles is being discussed.
Russia and China are planning to jointly develop
international transport corridors.
To do so, plans are in place to more actively use the potential
of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal-Amur Mainline,
as well as the Northern Sea Route.
The shared border infrastructure is expanding.
The construction of a new bridge and a road bridge over the Amur River
is nearing completion.
We attach particular importance to strengthening direct ties between
Russia’s regions and China’s provinces.
The years of interregional cooperation are enjoying success.
The Volga-Yangtze Council has been working effectively for quite
a while now with the participation of the Volga Federal District
and the provinces of the upper and middle Yangtze.
Today, the President of the People's Republic of China and I agreed
on establishing two more interregional cooperation mechanisms between
Russia’s Central Federal District and North China,
as well as between our Northwestern Federal District
and the maritime provinces of Southeast China.
This people-to-people cooperation covers many areas.
Cultural and cinema festivals, education, youth, and sports exchanges,
as well as reciprocal tourism are actively developing in Russia
and China as part of a three-year programme for cooperation.
Last year, China saw about 2.2 million Russian tourists.
In turn, over 1.7 million Chinese tourists visited our country.
I just shared with my friend, President Xi,
a story where I was moving from one building within the Moscow Kremlin
to another and realised that most of the tourists
on the square were from China. We can go out and wave to them.
I would like to thank Mr Xi and all our Chinese colleagues
for transferring two giant pandas to the Moscow Zoo.
We know that China almost never does this.
This is a sign of special respect and trust with regard
to Russia and our specialists. Whenever we talk about pandas,
we smile. We accept this gift with great respect and gratitude.
Thank you very much. These animals are a national symbol of China,
and we highly appreciate this gesture of friendship.
By the way, a little later, the President of the People's Republic
of China and I will go to the Moscow zoo and marvel
at these wonderful animals.
During the discussion of topical international and regional issues,
the sides stated that their views are identical or very
close on most matters.
The joint statement on strengthening global strategic stability we
signed emphasises the principled stand of Russia and China that any
attempts to destroy the existing system of agreements on arms control,
disarmament and non-proliferation are unacceptable.
I would like to stress that our countries share identical assessments
of the situation around the Korean Peninsula and carry out
a joint roadmap for settlement.
We proceed from the premise that there is no, nor can there be,
any alternative to the peaceful,
political and diplomatic settlement of the region’s
problems, including the nuclear issue.
We will continue cooperation with our Chinese partners to reduce
tensions on the peninsula and enhance security in Northeast
Asia as a whole. Russia and China are working for the peaceful
settlement of the crisis in Syria, favour stabilisation in Venezuela,
and remain committed to the full implementation of the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear programme.
During the talks, the sides reaffirmed their intention to continue
building up bilateral cooperation within the framework of the UN,
the SCO, BRICS, the G20, APEC and other leading multilateral venues.
We will continue our efforts to link the EAEU integration processes
with the Chinese Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative with a view
to forming greater Eurasian partnership in the future.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to use this opportunity to thank once again Mr Xi Jinping
and all our Chinese colleagues for productive joint work and to express
confidence that the agreements reached during the visit will facilitate
the further strengthening of Russia-China friendship
and the prosperity of our nations.
The programme of the President of China’s visit continues. Today, we will make speeches
at the gala evening devoted to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations at the Bolshoi Theatre.
As a guest of honour, the Chinese leader will take part
in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
He will head a solid delegation –
about a thousand government officials and businessmen.
We will also talk to the heads of major companies of the two countries
that will hold the second Russia-China Energy Business Forum.
And – I am pleased to say this in the presence of the rector
of St Petersburg State University – there will be a ceremony to present
President Xi Jinping with the honorary doctorate of the university.
Thank you for your attention.
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, friends, good afternoon,
I am happy to see you together with my old friend President Putin.
This is my first state visit to Russia during my second term
as the head of the Chinese state.
This is also my eighth visit to Russia since 2013.
President Putin and I have established close working
relations and a strong friendship.
We have met almost 30 times in the last six years.
Russia is the most frequently visited foreign country for me
and President Putin is one of my closest friends and a great colleague.
This is the best reflection of the high level of bilateral relations
and close strategic cooperation between China and Russia.
President Putin and I have just held very productive talks in an open
and friendly atmosphere.
We thoroughly discussed our bilateral relations and also items
on the international and regional agendas that are of mutual interest.
We have reached important mutual understanding in several areas.
We have also signed and published two important joint statements.
The relevant agencies and companies have exchanged
the signed documents in our presence.
President Putin has just summed up our talks and I fully agree with
him. Together we reviewed the development of our diplomatic relations
for the last 70 years.
All of us believe that as a result of the developments in the last 70 years,
Chinese-Russian relations have reached
an unprecedentedly high level. We now see new opportunities.
So we decided that we would take advantage of this historical
experience in the spirit of neighbourliness, friendship,
cooperation and mutual understanding,
and that we would develop our comprehensive partnership and strategic
cooperation in this new era and raise our bilateral
relations to a new and higher level.
Our countries will further consolidate mutual political trust,
build mutual support and assistance in issues that concern our key
interests in the spirit of novation,
cooperation for the sake of mutual advantage,
and promote our relations in the new era for the benefit of our two
nations and the peoples of the world.
We note with satisfaction that due to our joint efforts in all areas,
our cooperation continues to develop dynamically and successfully.
Bilateral trade has also hit a historical high,
exceeding our goal of $100 billion.
We continue to increase the level and quality of cooperation.
We successfully implement large strategic projects in energy,
investment, aerospace, aviation and so on.
Region-to-region cooperation in areas like finance,
agriculture and e-commerce has great potential.
The parties have already decided to hold cross years of cooperation
in research, technology and innovation
in 2020-2021 in order to further expand and extend this cooperation,
improve exchanges and the joint training of research and technical
personnel, increase the integrated power and the research
and technical level of our countries.
President Putin and I agreed to continue our work on integrating
the Belt and Road Initiative with the EAEU.
We will support each other in the Belt and Road Initiative
and the Greater Eurasia partnership.
We will join efforts to promote regional integration and integration
economic development in the region.
We are pleased to note that the people-to-people aspect of our
relations is following an ascending curve,
and our exchanges are expanding across all areas.
The years of interregional cooperation were a success,
and traditional friendship between our peoples never stops
shining with new light.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
China and Russia, we gave two pandas to Russia for joint research.
A little later, President Putin and I will attend an opening ceremony
for the panda pavilion at the Moscow Zoo and will meet the two envoys
of Chinese-Russian friendship.
The international situation is undergoing profound changes
not seen in the past century.
Peace and development remain the spirit of the times.
However, protectionism and one-sided approaches are increasing,
and the policy of force and hegemonism is intensifying.
We have a long and difficult path to go before we arrive
at peace and development.
As leading world powers and permanent members of the UN Security
Council, China and Russia will,
in conjunction with the international community,
show a sense of duty and resolutely protect the international system,
under UN auspices, based on international law,
and actively promote political settlements in the hotbeds of tension;
we will protect the multilateral trade system,
impart positive energy to an extremely difficult international
situation, and make new contributions to building a common
destiny for all of humankind.
Tonight, President Putin and I will attend celebrations dedicated
to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China
and Russia. I will also visit St Petersburg to participate in the 23rd
St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
President Putin and I will continue to hold bilateral meetings and will
enrich the content of bilateral relations in a new era.
Thank you.