Taking part in the conversation on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, First Deputy Prime Minister, Russian Co-Chair of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission on Investment Cooperation Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime Minister, Russian Co-Chair of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission on Humanitarian Cooperation Tatyana Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister, Russian Co-Chair of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission on Energy Cooperation Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Russian Co-Chair of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation and Development of the Far East and the Baikal Region of Russia and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister, Co-Chair of the Russia-China Intergovernmental Commission on Regular Meetings Between Heads of Government Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Aide to the President Yury Ushakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the People’s Republic of China Igor Morgulov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Director of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev, Deputy Defence Minister Vasily Osmakov, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, Executive Secretary of the Presidential Commission on the Development Strategy for the Fuel and Energy Sector and Environmental Safety, Co-Chair of the Russia-China Energy Business Forum, President and CEO of Rosneft Igor Sechin, and Chair of the Russia-China Business Council Gennady Timchenko.
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President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping (retranslated): President Putin, my long-time friend,
I am glad to welcome you to China on this official visit.
You and I have maintained close ties for many years by working together to define avenues for generating enhanced and fruitful momentum in the development of the China-Russia relationship as a comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation in a new era. The centuries-old friendship and neighbourly contacts are becoming increasingly entrenched in the hearts of our people.
The paradigm for forging interstate relations of a new kind based on mutual respect, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation consistently contributes to promoting the much-needed stability and predictability in a chaotic world.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of establishing our partnership and strategic cooperation, as well as the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation.
China and Russia have achieved a high level in their relations by advancing on a step-by-step basis, which has been made possible by our unwavering commitment to constantly deepening mutual trust in politics and enhancing our strategic cooperation, as well as our proactive approach to expanding our multi-pronged cooperation, and the courageous and bold approach to asserting international justice aimed at creating a community with a shared future despite all the international turbulence.
Today, unilateralism and hegemonic aspirations are rampant, with chaos reigning supreme in international affairs. But this has done nothing to deter people from their aspiration to promote peace, development and cooperation. This reflects the spirit of our time.
As permanent members of the UN Security Council and two great world powers, China and Russia must be guided by their long-term interests in achieving national revival by promoting and enhancing their comprehensive strategic cooperation and building a just and smart global system of governance.
Thank you.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, Mr Xi Jinping, my dear friend,
There is a fitting saying in China, which reads: 'One day apart feels like three autumns'. We are truly happy to see you. We constantly seek to coordinate our positions personally, as well as through our aides and governments.
I hold warm memories of the opportunity we had last year when you and I marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II here in China.
Our two countries signed the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation 25 years ago. This is a major interstate instrument that provides a foundation for promoting cooperation in all areas. It has remained relevant to this day.
Today, our relations have reached an unprecedented level and are a model of a truly comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.
It is therefore not surprising that our delegation includes many members of the Russian Government, business leaders, and representatives of public and educational establishments.
As we have agreed with Mr President, we will begin our work by discussing the key issues of our bilateral interaction, primarily in the economy, after which our delegations will join our conversation, as Mr President has proposed.
Our interaction and economic cooperation are showing strong growth despite unfavourable external factors. Over the past 25 years, our trade has increased more than 30-fold and has confidently exceeded US$200 billion for the past few years.
Russian-Chinese energy cooperation is the driver of our economic interaction. Russia remains a reliable supplier of resources amid the Middle East crisis, while China acts as a responsible consumer of these resources.
Our priorities include major joint projects in industry, agriculture, transport and high technology, of course.
Our humanitarian ties are growing just as energetically. The successful Cross Years of Culture will be followed by the Cross Years of Cooperation in Education. It is the 10th interstate thematic cross-year project, which we will launch today.
The development of our humanitarian contacts has been boosted by the mutual regime of visa-free travel for our citizens, which has been introduced at your initiative, my dear friend. We will certainly continue with this practice.
Our cooperation in foreign policy is one of the main stabilising factors on the international stage. A difficult process of shaping a polycentric world based on a balance of interests of all countries is underway.
We are working together with our Chinese friends to uphold cultural and civilisational diversity and respect for the sovereign development of states, trying to build a more just and democratic world order. Our close connection is especially relevant in the current complicated situation on the international stage. We are strengthening our coordination at the UN, BRICS, the G20 and other venues. We will continue our close interaction with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. I am confident that this year we will appropriately celebrate the 25th anniversary of the SCO, which has become an excellent example of fair problem resolution and facilitated integration in our common vast region.
We wholeheartedly support China’s presidency of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum this year. I would also like to reaffirm our readiness to take part in the APEC summit, which will be held in Shenzhen in November 2026.
And of course, we would like to invite you, dear friend, to visit the Russian Federation next year.
Thank you.
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