Abstract : With the eventful 2020 coming to an end, China and Russia are working together to reinforce their hard-won cooperation fruits over the year, and eyeing new development of bilateral ties and closer coordination in the upcoming new year.
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) — With the eventful 2020 coming to an end,
China and Russia are working together to reinforce their hard-won
cooperation fruits over the year, and eyeing new development of
bilateral ties and closer coordination in the upcoming new year.
EXTRAORDINARY 2020
The world has witnessed unprecedented challenges posed by the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and is entering a period of turbulence and
transformation in which the global political and economic situation and
international order are facing a strong impact.
Against this backdrop, China and Russia have attached more importance
to strengthening cooperation, and achieved fruitful results in
supporting each other, safeguarding international fairness and justice
and practicing multilateralism.
Over the year, the once-in-a-century pandemic has posed grave danger
to global public health, dealt a heavy blow to world economy and
threatened international solidarity.
Facing the harsh situation, China and Russia have firmly supported
each other in combating the virus, played a leading role in
international anti-epidemic cooperation, and fought together against the
“political virus.”
To add vigor to the hard-hit economy, the two countries have smoothly
promoted coordination between the China-proposed Belt and Road
Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union which includes Russia. The
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), whose member states convened a
series of meetings in November, has been a key platform for building
greater integration in this regard.
Meanwhile, multilateral frameworks, including the SCO, the Group of
20 and BRICS, have become stages for China and Russia to actively take
the lead in opposing unilateralism and promoting multilateral
cooperation amid the ravaging pandemic.
The two countries also jointly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the
victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United
Nations.
In an exchange of messages with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir
Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in September that he is ready
to work with Putin to join efforts with the international community to
resolutely safeguard the victory of the Second World War as well as
international fairness and justice.
As the two countries have maintained regular high-level exchanges,
people-to-people exchanges have also been strengthened this year,
providing new development opportunities for bilateral ties.
The time-tested friendship between the two peoples has also been
added a touch of liveliness by the staying of a pair of giant pandas, Ru
Yi and Ding Ding, in Moscow.
In late August, China and Russia launched their Year of Scientific
and Technological Innovation. With concerted efforts, the number of
activities scheduled to be held under it has exceeded 1,000, which
showed the huge potential of the two sides’ cooperation on scientific
and technological innovation, said Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan at
the opening ceremony via video link.
True gold can stand the test of fire, and the difficult period has
given more prominence to the unique strength and great value of the
China-Russia relationship, Xi said Monday in a telephone conversation
with Putin, during which the two heads of state exchanged new year
greetings.
Andrey Karneev, professor and head of the School of Asian Studies of
Russia’s Higher School of Economics, found such a bilateral relationship
significant that not only promotes stability and socio-economic
development in both countries, but also serves as “an example of a
partnership for other countries.”
Russia and China “take very similar stances in relation to many
issues on the international agenda,” and both leaders “have extensive
experience in the development of our countries and put the interests of
the masses at the forefront,” Karneev told Xinhua.
CLOSER PARTNERSHIP
As 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia
Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, the two
countries are looking forward to taking it as an opportunity to further
deepen their friendship and bilateral cooperation.
“In these 20 years, (bilateral) relations have developed on an upward
trend, without any lows … and the relationship has reached a new
level,” said Yana Leksyutina, professor of St. Petersburg State
University, adding that there has been “a high level of trust and
coordination” in the Russia-China partnership.
“Russia has repeatedly expressed and in deeds demonstrated respect
for the fundamental interests of China, which we see in response from
China as well,” Leksyutina said.
In their telephone conversation on Monday, Xi and Putin voiced their
commitment to unswervingly developing the comprehensive strategic
partnership of coordination for a new era between the two countries,
realizing their respective development and revitalization, and making
greater contributions to building a new type of international relations
and a community with a shared future for mankind.
China, Xi said, is actively fostering a new development paradigm and
promoting reform and opening-up at a higher starting point, which will
provide broader development opportunities for China-Russia cooperation.
He also urged the two sides to better synergize their development
strategies and strengthen new forms and new drivers of cooperation, as
well as carry forward the China-Russia Year of Scientific and
Technological Innovation program.
By strengthening strategic cooperation, China and Russia can
effectively resist any attempt to suppress and divide the two countries,
and meanwhile forge a solid shield to safeguard international fairness
and justice, Xi said.
Putin said he is willing to work with Xi to continuously provide
strategic leadership and ensure further development of bilateral ties in
the new year, adding that Russia stands ready to join hands with China
to deepen strategic coordination and cooperation in international
affairs, and contribute to global strategic stability.
Russia and China “don’t advocate striving for selfish interests, but
seek to promote the overall progress of the global community,” said
Karneev. Enditem
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Source: World Insights: With fruitful cooperation in 2020, China, Russia eye closer partnership in new year
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