Russian President Vladimir Putin
hailed the cooperation between Russia and China on Tuesday as an
important factor in strengthening international strategic stability
and he said his country values the strategic partnership with
China.
"Russia intends to further develop the strategic partnership with
China based on previous accords," Putin told his annual press
conference in the Kremlin, adding that Russia sees the same will
from the Chinese side.
The two countries, which had been negotiating a settlement to their
border issue for the past four decades, have successfully solved
the most complicated issue in bilateral ties based on bilateral
agreements, Putin said.
Speaking on bilateral trade, he said the two countries set the goal
of bringing trade volume to US$20 billion three years ago, but
trade totaled US$29 billion?last year.
"We are now planning to bring trade to US$60 billion?by 2010,"
Putin said. "This is quite attainable."
The Russian president said he will attend the opening ceremony of
the Year of Russia in China in spring, which he views as a boost to
bilateral ties.
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2006)