Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Moscow on Monday afternoon
for a three-day state visit to Russia, in his first overseas trip
since China's new leadership took office in March.
During his stay in Russia, Hu will exchange views with Russian
President Vladimir Putin on cementing bilateral ties and important
international issues. He is also expected to meet Russian Prime
Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, Chairman of Federation Council (upper
house) Sergei Mironov, as well as Chairman of State Duma (lower
house) Gennady Seleznev.
In
addition, Hu will take part in the third summit meeting of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states to be held in
Moscow, and the celebrations marking the 300th anniversary of the
founding of the city of St. Petersburg.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, launched in June 2001,
groups China, Russia, and the four Central Asian countries of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
In
a written statement released at the airport, Hu said that the
peoples of Russia and China have maintained friendship for long and
both of them cherish the wish to develop long-term, stable and
friendly relations.
He
said that over the past 10 years, with concerted efforts, relations
between China and Russia have seen considerable progress and risen
to a new level.
The idea of maintaining friendship for generations, which was
defined in the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship
and Cooperation, has taken deep root in the mind of the peoples of
two countries, Hu said, adding that China and Russia have become
good neighbors, good friends and good partners.
The social, political and economic foundation for the Sino-Russian
strategic cooperative partnership is becoming increasingly solid
and such a relationship holds vast prospects for development, the
Chinese president said.
The historic task faced by the two countries is to further
strengthen and develop the good-neighborly friendship and
cooperation in various fields and open up a new prospect for the
development of bilateral ties for the benefit of both countries and
their peoples.
Following the trip to Russia, President Hu will travel to Evian,
France, for informal talks between leaders from some of the world's
rich and poor nations. After that, Hu will travel to Kazakhstan and
Mongolia for state visits.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2003)