Russia n Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov met with visiting
Chinese State Counselor Chen Zhili in Moscow on Tuesday with both sides
vowing to enhance their humanitarian cooperation.
After passing along a "cordial greeting" from the Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao to Fradkov, Chen said that the
Sino-Russia n relations are developing at a high level at a fast
pace now. Humanitarian cooperation lays great importance on
promoting the Sino-Russian "friendship which will last for
generations" and pushing the Sino-Russia n strategic partnership of
cooperation to a higher level," she said.
Chen took part in the eighth meeting of the Sino-Russian
humanitarian cooperation commission in St. Petersburg a day
earlier. She told Fradkov that the meeting enriched the connotation
of the Sino-Russia n strategic partnership of cooperation,
consolidated the social base of the relations between the two
countries, and made a new step towards the aim of "friendly
humanitarian cooperation partners in harmony" which was set up by
the heads of the two countries in March.
Chen proposed three suggestions on deepening the Sino-Russia n
humanitarian cooperation: first, mechanizing the most important
projects within the framework of the theme years; second, taking
actual measures to promote cooperation in the areas of education,
culture, sanitation, sports, tourism, media, movie and documents;
third, enhancing cooperation in the humanitarian cooperation area
of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The Russian-Chinese relations have entered a new stage, Fradkov
said.
The activities of the Year of China in Russia have a good effect
on promoting understanding and traditional friendship between the
two countries, he said.
The Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation is an important
foundation of the strategic partnership of cooperation. The heads
of the two states reached common understanding on further deepening
the Russian-Chinese relationship and cooperation at the SCO summit
in Bishkek not long ago. The success of the eighth meeting of the
Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation commission with bountiful
results was an important step to implement the consensus of the
heads of states, Fradkov said.
The prime minister hoped that both sides discuss mechanizing the
projects in the humanitarian cooperation area of the theme years as
soon as possible, take actual measures to promote the
Russian-Chinese cooperation in such areas as culture, education,
sanitation, sports and tourism, and improve the cooperative levels
in the humanitarian cooperation area.
Fradkov said he is expecting a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao in November in the 12th regular meeting of prime ministers
of the two countries.
Chen started her nine-day visit from St. Petersburg in Sept.
1.
(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2007)
