China-Russia relations embrace golden era
By Li Hui
Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state
visit to Russia and attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It
will be the eighth visit of President Xi to Russia since 2013.
This year
is a historic milestone for China-Russia relations as it marks the 70th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two
countries. 2019 is also the tenth year since I assumed position as Chinese
Ambassador to Russia.
It has been an honor of me to witness multiple
highlights of the development of bilateral relations during the past decade
though this period only accounts for one-seventh of the seventy-year history of
China-Russia relations.
At present, China-Russia comprehensive
strategic partnership of cooperation is at the best time of history. Over the
past years, the two countries have seen frequent high-level exchanges,
deepening political mutual trust, increasing bilateral trade volume and various
people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
The head-of-state diplomacy between the two
countries was a major highlight among these interactions. President Xi and his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin have met each other for 30 times from President Xi's
state visit to Russia for the first time in March, 2013 to President Putin's
attendance at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this
April.
The high-frequent exchanges between the two
heads of state, which is hardly seen in any other relations between major
countries, have not only written a new chapter of China-Russia head-of-state
diplomacy, but also led bilateral relations into the best time of history.
As Chinese Ambassador to Russia, I'm honored
to be a part of all mutual visits between President Xi and President Putin.
I'll never forget all those significant moments of China-Russia relations.
President Putin was the first head of a foreign
country to congratulate General Secretary Xi after the latter was elected the
Chinese President in March, 2013. Russia was also the first foreign country
that President Xi visited. He was welcomed with a grand ceremony, including the
deployment of a presidential cavalry unit outside the Grand Kremlin Palace,
which was the first time in Russian history.
During an eight-hour meeting, President Xi and
President Putin reached important consensus to translate advantages of high-level
political relations between the two countries into tangible outcomes, guiding
bilateral relations for long-term, healthy, and stable development.
In 2015,
President Xi went to Russia to attend the 70th victory anniversary of Great
Patriotic War and President Putin came to China to attend the commemorative events marking the 70th anniversary of
the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese
Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
At the celebration held at the Red Square, President Putin
left the seat by his right, the most honorable place, to President Xi, and the Combined Honor Guard of the People's Liberation Army was arranged to
cap off the performance of foreign phalanxes.
The two
heads of state demonstrated with actions that China and Russia are committed to
safeguarding the victory of the World War Ⅱ and the post-war international order with the United Nations at the
core.
Then In July 2017, President Xi paid a state
visit to Russia. During his stay, President Putin presented him the Order of
St. Andrew the Apostle, one of Russia's highest honors, in the Kremlin. One
year later, President Xi awarded President Putin with China's first-ever
Friendship Medal at Great Hall of the People.
I could remember a host of such precious
moments. President Xi went to Sochi to attend and congratulate on the opening
ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympics. President Putin went to Beijing twice to
attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, showing his
support for the Belt and Road construction.
The list goes on and on. President Xi gave a
birthday cake in person to President Putin at the APEC Economic Leaders'
Meeting held in Bali. The two heads of state also jointly visited student
representatives survived in the earthquake of southwestern China's Sichuan
province, as well as the Russian teachers and classmates who once helped the
Chinese students at the Ocean All-Russia
Children’s Care Center in Vladivostok.
Through mutual support and sincere exchanges, the
friendship between the two heads of state and between the two peoples has been
increasingly enhanced.
At the same time, the two countries have also
witnessed deepening strategic coordination and strengthened practical
cooperation.
Under the guidance of President Xi and President Putin, China-Russia comprehensive strategic
partnership of cooperation has achieved constant progress, opening up and
golden era of the relations between the two countries.
It has been a privilege for me to have the
opportunity to witness and contribute to the golden era of China-Russia
relations!
I believe that at a new staring point of the
70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and
Russia, this golden era will be more shining under the guidance of the two
heads of state.
(The
author is the Chinese Ambassador to Russia)
China-Russia relations embrace golden era
Reviewed by PEOPLES MAIL
on
03:05
Rating:
No comments: