Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) — Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a written interview to Xinhua on the eve of his trip to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin and events to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. He noted that he and China will jointly celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, discuss further prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation and new steps to intensify it for the benefit of the peoples of Russia and China. Russia and China will continue to work together to achieve such a noble goal, and combine efforts for the prosperity of the two great nations.
V. Putin recalled that the visit of the Chairman of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping to Russia in May of this year was a great success, had a wide international resonance and received the highest praise in Russia. During this visit, the two countries adopted a detailed joint statement and signed a solid package of bilateral documents.
"The visit was deeply symbolic in terms of the development of Russian-Chinese relations. We confirmed the strategic choice of our peoples in favor of strengthening the traditions of good neighborliness, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation in the long term," said V. Putin.
The Russian President noted that, at the invitation of Chairman Xi Jinping, he will soon go on a return visit to China, during which the leaders will thoroughly discuss all aspects of the bilateral agenda and exchange views on current regional and international issues. Russia highly appreciates the sincere desire of the head of the Chinese state to comprehensively develop relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction with Moscow.
He stressed that Chairman Xi Jinping is very careful about the history of his country. "He is a true leader of a major world power, a strong-willed leader with strategic thinking and a global outlook, who gives priority to national interests. It is extremely important for China that such a person is at the helm of the state at a difficult, turning point in international life," he said.
According to V. Putin, during his stay in China, together with the Chinese side, he will pay tribute to the common feat of fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, and will also honor the memory of those who sealed with blood the military brotherhood of the peoples of the two countries, defended the freedom, independence of states, and their right to sovereign development.
He emphasized that the peoples of the Soviet Union and China bore the brunt of the blow and suffered the heaviest, greatest human losses. “It was the citizens of our countries who bore the brunt of the struggle against the invaders and played a key role in the victory over Nazism and militarism. The harsh trials clearly demonstrated and strengthened the best traditions of friendship and mutual assistance, which serve as a solid foundation for modern Russian-Chinese relations.”
"Russia will never forget that it was China's heroic resistance that became one of the decisive factors that prevented Japan from attacking the Soviet Union and stabbing us in the back in the difficult months of 1941-1942," said V. Putin. "This allowed the Red Army to concentrate its efforts on defeating Nazism and liberating Europe." He also noted that when Japan treacherously unleashed an armed conflict against China, the USSR extended a helping hand to the Chinese people. Soviet pilots also valiantly fought the aggressors together with their Chinese brothers in arms.
“It is our duty to always honor the sacred memory of our compatriots who showed an example of true patriotism and courage, who withstood all trials and defeated powerful and cruel enemies,” said V. Putin, expressing gratitude to the Chinese side for the careful preservation of memorials to the Red Army soldiers who gave their lives in the battles for the liberation of China.
V. Putin emphasized that in a number of Western countries the results of World War II are being revised, historical truth is being falsified and hushed up to suit political expediency. Russia and China resolutely condemn any attempts to distort the history of World War II. The results of the war, as enshrined in the UN Charter and other international documents, are immutable, and their revision is unacceptable.
Touching upon the topic of bilateral trade, V. Putin noted that economic relations between Russia and China have reached an unprecedentedly high level. Since 2021, trade turnover has grown by about $100 billion. In terms of bilateral trade, China is the undisputed leader for Russia, and last year Russia took fifth place among foreign countries – China's foreign trade partners. Settlements between the two countries have been almost entirely transferred to national currencies.
V. Putin said that Russia firmly holds the lead in oil and gas exports to China, the two countries continue to work on reducing trade barriers for each other, and in recent years, pork and beef exports to China have been established. In general, food products and agricultural products occupy one of the leading positions in Russian exports to China. The volume of bilateral capital investments is increasing. Large joint projects are being implemented in priority sectors. The two countries closely cooperate in the industrial sector. Russia is one of the world's main markets for car exports from China. Joint construction of high-tech production and infrastructure facilities is underway. There are large-scale plans in the construction materials industry.
"Economic cooperation, trade, and industrial cooperation between our countries are developing in many areas. During my upcoming visit, we will definitely discuss further prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation and new steps to intensify it for the benefit of the peoples of Russia and China," said V. Putin.
V. Putin noted that large-scale bilateral humanitarian initiatives make a significant contribution to the promotion of friendly relations. Today, cultural exchanges between Russia and China continue to develop dynamically. The “Roadmap” of Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation until 2030, which includes more than 100 large-scale projects, is being consistently implemented.
V. Putin particularly noted the successful organization of the Years of Culture of Russia and China, which are being held in 2024-2025. The rich, diverse program of this “cross” initiative finds the most lively public response in both Russia and China.
He emphasized that cooperation in education and science has great prospects. There is good dynamics in academic mobility and inter-university contacts. Today, over 51 thousand Chinese students study in Russia, and 21 thousand Russian students study in China. Cooperation in scientific, technical and innovative fields is expanding. There are good results in sports cooperation. There is active cooperation in the film industry. The figures in the tourism sector are encouraging – by the end of 2024, mutual tourist flow increased by 2.5 times and reached 2.8 million people. Along with this, the two countries are also promoting cooperation in the field of youth policy and the media, as well as through archival departments.
"It is gratifying that bilateral humanitarian cooperation is gaining momentum. This is undoubtedly a strategic direction of our relations, designed to form a broad public base of friendship, good neighborliness and mutual understanding," said V. Putin.
China is the rotating chair of the SCO for 2024-2025. The SCO summit will be held in the Chinese city of Tianjin in the near future. V. Putin expects that following the upcoming summit, the Organization will gain additional powerful momentum, increase its potential to respond to modern challenges and threats, and strengthen solidarity in the common Eurasian space. “All this will contribute to the formation of a more just and multipolar world order,” he said.
V. Putin noted that the secret of such attractiveness of the SCO is quite simple – it is a firm commitment to the philosophy of creation, openness to equal cooperation, non-direction against third countries, respect for national characteristics, the uniqueness of each people.
"Based on these values, the SCO is participating in the construction of a more just multipolar world order based on international law with the central coordinating role of the UN. A major contribution to achieving this global goal is called upon to be the formation of an architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia, including through close cooperation between the SCO member states," said V. Putin.
The Russian President is confident that the Tianjin summit will be an important milestone in the history of the SCO. He noted that Russia supports the priorities declared by the Chinese presidency, aimed at further consolidation of the SCO, deepening cooperation in all areas, and increasing the role of this organization on the world stage.
“I hope that through joint efforts we will be able to give the SCO a qualitatively new dynamic and modernize it in accordance with the demands of the times,” he said.
V. Putin highly appreciated the cooperation between Russia and China in multilateral formats. He emphasized that this is a huge layer of bilateral relations and, of course, a significant factor in global politics. The exchange of opinions on key international issues time and again confirms that Moscow and Beijing have a broad community of interests and similar views on fundamental issues.
He said that the Russian-Chinese strategic link acts as a stabilizing factor. The topic of current challenges and threats is invariably present in the bilateral political dialogue. Russian conceptual proposals for building a single space of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia echo the Initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping on global security.
V. Putin noted that Russian-Chinese cooperation at the UN is at an unprecedentedly high level and fully corresponds to the spirit of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. The two countries attach particular importance to the work in the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter, which is a significant instrument for consolidating the Global South. “Russia and China are in favor of reforming the World Organization so that it fully restores its authority and corresponds to modern realities,” said V. Putin.
The Russian President said that close cooperation between Moscow and Beijing has made positive adjustments to the work of leading economic platforms such as the Group of Twenty and APEC. “This year, the Group of Twenty is led by our South African friends. We expect that, based on the results of their ‘watch’, we will consolidate the achievements of the Global South and make them a starting point for the democratization of international relations. Within the framework of APEC, the Chinese presidency in 2026 is intended to give impetus to Russian-Chinese contacts.”
China and Russia actively interact within BRICS and jointly promote initiatives aimed at expanding the economic development opportunities of the member countries, including the formation of common platforms for partnership in key sectors. The two countries pay special attention to attracting additional resources for the implementation of significant infrastructure projects and jointly advocate for further enhancing the role of BRICS in solving the pressing problems of our time. Russia and China jointly oppose discriminatory sanctions in global trade, which hinder socio-economic development.
V. Putin noted that Russia and China are in favor of reforming the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The two sides agree that the new financial system should be built on the principles of openness and genuine fairness, ensure equal and non-discriminatory access to its instruments for all countries without exception, and reflect the real position of member countries in the global economy.
"We need progress for the benefit of all mankind. I am confident that Russia and China will continue to work together to achieve such a noble goal, to combine efforts for the prosperity of our great nations," V. Putin stated. –0–
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