Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) and
Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the opening ceremony of the "Year
of China" in Moscow, March 26, 2007. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)
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MOSCOW, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President
Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin participated
in the opening ceremony of the "Year of China" in Russia in the Kremlin Monday
evening.
The two heads of state vowed to take the chance of
the event to further promote the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of
cooperation in all aspects.
Addressing the opening ceremony of this theme year,
which is a reciprocal event of the "Year of Russia" in China last year, Hu
hailed the history and achievements of Russia and its people as well as the
friendship between the two peoples.
"Headed by President Putin, Russia has witnessed
political stability and fast economic growth. The Russian people are leading a
better life, too," Hu said.
Russia has played an important role in international
and regional affairs, which enabled Russia to gain respect from the
international community, Hu noted.
"As a friendly neighbor and strategic partner, the
Chinese government and people are sincerely happy about that," Hu added.
Since the establishment of the strategic partnership,
the cooperation between the two countries has been keeping growing and fruitful,
Hu said.
China and Russia decided to mark the theme years
during Hu's visit to Russia in 2005, for the sake of enhancing the mutual
understanding and friendship, as well as ensuring the sound and steady long-term
development of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation, he noted.
Hu spoke highly of the "Year of Russia" in China,
during which over 300 events were presented to hundreds of thousands of Chinese
people. While in the coming "Year of China", 200 events covering politics,
economy, science and culture will be held in Russia.
Besides showcasing its splendid culture and history,
China is also expected to present the fruits of its reform and opening-up policy
in the theme year, which will promote the cooperation in various fields and
strengthen the people-to-people contact in the two countries, so as to further
revitalize the growth of Sino-Russian relations.
China is ready to continue working with Russia to
further implement the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and
Cooperation, deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation and strategic coordination,
promote common development and contribute to the building of a harmonious world
featuring lasting peace and common prosperity, Hu pledged.
Putin also hailed the successful "Year of Russia" in
China, by saying that the decision to mark the theme years is of "strategic
significance".
"The theme years will uplift the bilateral relation
to a new level and serve as a foundation for the future cooperation between the
two peoples," he said.
He spoke highly of the strategic partnership of
cooperation and foresaw a promising development for bilateral relations in the
future.
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