Hu vows to press close ties with Russia

Journalists watch Russian President Vladimir Putin on a screen delivering his speech on the eve of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Vladivostok on Friday. [Photo/Agencies]

President Hu Jintao said on Friday that China will continue working closely with Russia to maintain security and boost development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Hu also said his country will try to create an equal, open and harmonious security and cooperation pattern.

Hu made the remarks when meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, taking place on Saturday and Sunday in the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok.

As important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Russia embrace a new security concept based on mutual trust, reciprocal benefits, equality, coordination and indivisibility, Hu said.

The two countries have been coordinating closely to engage in promoting regional cooperation and development, and made significant contributions to maintaining peace and stability and boosting prosperity in the region, he said.

Analysts praised the new security concept applied by China and Russia, saying the concept, together with the sound bilateral relations, will benefit regional development and the world's economy.

In contrast to the Cold War mentality, the new security concept will play a positive role in regional stability and development, said Wang Yusheng, a former APEC senior official.

Feng Yujun, an expert on Russian studies with China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the favorable relations and cooperation between China and Russia will accelerate the world's pace out of the global recession.

During the meeting, Hu and Putin reached broad consensus on major issues of common concern and on deepening the comprehensive China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership.

The two countries should further deepen strategic mutual trust and increase political mutual support, so that the bilateral ties will make progress based on the high level, Hu said.

The two countries should further boost bilateral cooperation in fields including investment, high-technologies and innovation, he said, adding that the two countries should build regular meeting mechanisms between provincial and local officials and strengthen local cooperation.

The president also urged promoting people-to-people communication.

Putin said the Russia-China relations have reached a very high level thanks to Hu, who will be the first speaker at the APEC leaders' meeting.

The meeting indicates the maturity of the Sino-Russian ties, and will also push bilateral ties to a new high level, Wang said.

He emphasized that Russia's strategy to develop the Far East region will benefit both the country itself and other APEC members, including China, urging others not to view the strategy with a Cold War mentality.

Washington's pivot shift to the Asia-Pacific region adds more uncertainties to the region, but Sino-Russian ties will not be influenced by changes in the region, as long as the two countries treat each other with mutual trust and equality, Feng said.

The China-Russia strategic partnership has developed steadily in recent years, with the efforts of leaders and people from the two countries.

Hu and Russian leaders agreed to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination based on equality, mutual trust and support, common prosperity and lasting friendship in the new decade during his visit to Russia in 2011.

Putin, who visited China and had talks with Hu in June, also agreed to further strengthen the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Under a blueprint by the leaders from two sides, China and Russia are striving to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion in 2015 and $200 billion in 2020.

In 2011, two-way trade reached record high of $79.2 billion. In the first seven months of this year, bilateral trade stood at $50.9 billion, up 17.7 percent year-on-year.

Putin told participants of the APEC CEO summit on the same day that he believes Russian trade with China will soon approach $100 billion.

Contact the writers at wujiao@chinadaily.com.cn and zhouwa@chinadaily.com.cn