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China-Russia Partnership Enters "Very Important" Stage

More than 30 participants, including Chinese and Russian government and military officials and experts, discussed international and East Asian affairs and a Sino-Russian strategic partnership at a Sino-Russian strategic forum that opened in Beijing in October 31, Xinhuanet reported.

 Participants in the discussions called for enhanced mutual political trust and coordination in international and regional affairs to promote improvements in the Sino-Russian strategic partnership.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Yefimovich Fradkov made an official visit to China from November 3 to 4 to join Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in attending the 10th Sino-Russian Prime Ministers Meeting. The two leaders discussed how to increase bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, economics, trade, energy and technology.

Most experts believe that since the two countries set up a strategic partnership of cooperation in 1996, they have made much progress in strengthening mutual political trust and in expanding economic, military and security cooperation.

Xiong Guangkai, chairman of the China Institute for International Strategic Studies, said the development of a new type relationship between China and Russia sets an example for other countries in their bilateral relations.

The two countries have established close high-level exchange mechanisms including annual exchanges of visits by the heads of the two countries and parliamentary leaders. This includes regular meetings between the two prime ministers.

Early in 2005, the two countries launched a strategic security consultation system and have held two rounds of talks. Foreign ministries and armed forces of the two countries also maintain a regular consultation mechanism.

Zheng Yu, an expert on Eastern Europe and Central Asian affairs with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China and Russia closely coordinating their in regional and international affairs activities, are deepening their cooperation in fighting against terrorism and in boosting their economies and security within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They have played a positive role in trying to settle the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

How to further enhance bilateral political trust and enrich the contents of Sino-Russian strategic partnership in the wake of changing international situation is an important task for the two countries, said A. D. Voskresensky, a Russian expert with the International Affairs Institute in Moscow.