Backgrounder
Ties with Russia on a 'new high'
By Ai Yang and Cheng Guangjin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-06 08:03
 |
Large Medium Small |
|
Russian military aircraft fly in formation over St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square on Wednesday during practice for the weekend Victory Day celebration in Moscow. Military personnel from the Allied nations of the United States, Poland, Great Britain and France will take part in a military parade on Sunday to commemorate their victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. Vladimir Nikolsky / Reuters |
Beijing - China said on Wednesday that Beijing and Moscow have the potential for more cooperation as trade volume between the nations is expected to reach $60 to $80 billion this year.
"Today's China and Russia enjoy the closest and the most lively bilateral relationship. The two also have the biggest potential for development," assistant Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping told reporters during a press briefing about Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to Russia this weekend.
At Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's invitation, Hu will fly to Moscow to attend the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) on May 8. Hu will also meet other top Russian officials and exchange views on bilateral and regional issues including energy cooperation and Iran, Cheng told reporters.
Cheng said the Sino-Russian relationship has reached a "new high", and trade volume between the two countries has risen 64 percent in the first quarter of 2010, reaching $12 billion.
"The total trade volume this year is expected to reach 60 to 80 billion US dollars." Cheng said.
A military parade to mark the occasion will start in Red Square in Moscow on May 9, and other ceremonies will be held in 17 other Russian cities, plus Brest in Belarus and Sevastopol in Ukraine. More than 10,000 soldiers and military officials will be present for the parade, which will display 159 military vehicles and 127 military helicopters, according to Evgeniy Tomihin, Russia's deputy ambassador to China.
Tomihin said although groups in some countries are distorting facts for political agendas, he's happy to see no such problem with China.
"China and Russia have agreed on the causes and process of the war," said Tomihin.
Some eastern European and member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States have tried to re-evaluate World War II history in recent years, with some Soviet war monuments sabotaged in these countries. Some historians have even doubted the role of the former Soviet Union in the war, according to Xinhua.
"China as the major battlefield in Asia against fascism fought off 70 percent of Japanese invaders during the eight-year War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945), while the Soviet Union played a crucial role in helping Chinese people fight the battle against Japan," Cheng said. During Hu's visit, he will meet Russian veterans who helped liberate China's northeastern region during the war.
Cheng said the ceremony is to remember history and work toward a better future. It is not only a way to show respect to those who contributed to the war, but also a chance to learn from experience and avoid similar tragedies, Tomihin said.
In a move toward nuclear disarmament, Russia and the United States on April 8 signed a new strategic arms reduction treaty, vowing a maximum of 1,550 deployed warheads, about 30 percent lower than a limit set in 2002.
"It is an important step forward for world stability and security. It is also a good result that comes just before the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War," said Tomihin. "The actual number of reductions is not so important. Any agreement that makes the world safer and more stable is important. We hope we can get support from the international community."
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will also visit Russia later this year and meet with his counterpart Vladimir Putin for the 15th regular meeting between the two prime ministers.
China Daily
(China Daily 05/06/2010 page11)
