Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, August 26 /Xinhua/ – Soviet-Chinese, and later Russian-Chinese friendship has a deep character. This was stated recently in an interview with Xinhua by the head of the Center for World Politics and Strategic Analysis of the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences /ICSA RAS/ Ekaterina Zaklyazminskaya.
E. Zaklyazminskaya noted that the Chinese leader's article, which was published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta in May of this year, raised many important issues of bilateral cooperation. A vivid leitmotif was the narrative about the period of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against the Japanese invaders. The article mentioned the "artery of life" that played a significant role in mutual support in the fight against the fascists.
“The Artery of Life” — this road, about 3 thousand km long, existed during the difficult 1930-1940s — the years of the Japanese occupation of China. It connected the Soviet Union with Northwest China through hard-to-reach territory, including the Gobi Desert.
According to E. Zaklyazminskaya, China supplied the Soviet Union with the necessary raw materials, without which industrial production, including military production, was impossible. “Later, military equipment and weapons were made from these raw materials, which helped our Soviet soldiers in the fight against the fascists, against the German occupiers,” she emphasized.
"This "artery" supplied China with weapons and specialists," said E. Zaklyazminskaya, adding that the Soviet Union provided major military assistance to China through this route. For example, disassembled aircraft were delivered to China, where Soviet specialists trained and prepared Chinese pilots.
In addition, as the expert said, the Ivanovo International Children's Home was opened in the 1930s. Many children of Chinese revolutionaries lived there. "The Chinese children, despite living far from their parents, really wanted to help. They saw that the war had begun, that it was necessary to help, to repel the occupiers, to repel the fascists," E. Zaklyazminskaya said.
According to her, Chinese children, despite the severe frosts in winter, dug anti-tank ditches. They collected empty bottles from which they made explosive mixtures, learned to grow grains and vegetables, and also sewed clothes for the front. “Little kids understood that we must be together, we must work together and only in this way can we win,” the expert emphasized.
She also told the story of Soviet pilot Grigory Kulishenko, who died heroically in China while on a combat mission. “His plane was shot at, and he was seriously wounded. Kulishenko, realizing that the plane would soon fall, led it away from the villages toward the Yangtze River. Because of his wound, G. Kulishenko was unable to get out of the water. But then local residents found his remains and buried them,” she said, adding that in 1958 a monument to Kulishenko was created near the crash site of his plane.
"We also greatly appreciate the fact that the Chinese people carefully preserve the memory of our heroes. And we, of course, hope that the feat of not a single Chinese soldier, not a single Soviet soldier who gave their lives so that now we – their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren – could live a peaceful life will not be forgotten," she added.
“The Soviet-Chinese, and then Russian-Chinese friendship – it has a deep character. Because we are always ready to help each other in all difficult situations,” E. Zaklyazminskaya emphasized. “We in Russia really appreciate that we have such a reliable partner.”
This, according to her, is confirmed by the warm friendly relations between the leaders of Russia and China and their regular meetings, as well as the joint celebration by both countries of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. “This peace was achieved through human lives with great difficulty. Of course, we remember, honor and will continue to deeply cooperate with each other,” added E. Zaklyazminskaya.
Speaking about the current cooperation between Russia and China, E. Zaklyazminskaya noted that it is developing rapidly and is getting stronger every year. The logistics infrastructure is developing, interaction in the industrial, cultural and political spheres is strengthening.
"Our countries often have the same view on issues on the global agenda and coordinate their positions. That is, we see here that the direction of our cooperation includes absolutely all possible aspects," she said.
E. Zaklyazminskaya also emphasized the importance of the Belt and Road initiative, which could become an international “lifeline” today. The initiative proposed by China is aimed at developing infrastructure and deepening economic cooperation between countries. It is valuable for the development of the entire world and is fundamentally different from the initiatives proposed by the West.
“China is pursuing a peaceful policy; it does not have the predatory, colonialist policy that many Western countries have pursued in their interactions with the countries of the Global South,” noted E. Zaklyazminskaya.
The expert also highly praised the Chinese concept of a community with a common destiny for mankind. “This concept was put forward in Russia, at MGIMO. Of course, it is very valuable for us, because it has a global character and represents a peaceful concept of cooperation between states,” she said, adding that China cooperates with other states very carefully, without exerting pressure or coercion.
"There is such a concept of a clash of civilizations, and China puts forward a different concept, which says that civilizations can coexist. In my opinion, everything can be covered by a large umbrella, which is a community with a single destiny of humanity, which can really unite us together, into one big family of humanity," concluded E. Zaklyazminskaya. –0–
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