China, Russia Celebrate Partnership

June 7, 2002
By Willy Wo-Lap Lam

(CNN) -- The leaders of China and Russia have celebrated their special partnership despite Beijing's worries about Moscow's tilt toward the U.S. and NATO.

While meeting Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin in St Petersburg, President Jiang Zemin said China's "strategic cooperative partnership" with Russia had stood the test of "the unpredictable gales and clouds in the international arena."

Jiang did not mention Beijing's worries about the recently formed NATO-Russia council on security matters or Moscow's acquiescence in Washington's national missile defense system.

State media on Friday quoted Jiang as saying "a better relationship between Russia, the U.S. and Europe will be good to world peace, security and stability."

Diplomatic sources in Beijing said, however, that prior to leaving China, Jiang had discussed with foreign policy advisers his worries about Moscow's 'westward tilt.'

The sources said Jiang had indicated because of the lack of knowledge about Putin's thinking and policies, Beijing's Russia experts should compile a new profile on the Russian leader.

In his meeting with Putin, however, Jiang expressed confidence that both countries could "strengthen mutual trust politically" and boost trade ties based on the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed last year.

Love of Russian culture

Jiang, who worked for one year in a Soviet factory in the 1950s, underscored his love of Russian culture by reciting a Pushkin poem in Russian during a tour of the poet's old school.

Chinese and Russian media quoted Putin as saying the two countries were ready to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of the Good-neighborly Treaty.

Putin also indicated the two nations had "big plans" for boosting military ties, a reference to the growing sale of Russian military hardware to China.

However, the Russian leader made no reference to Moscow's dramatically improved ties with the U.S. and NATO.

Putin is scheduled to visit China later this year. He will also meet Jiang at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Mexico City in October.

Meanwhile, Jiang and Putin as well as the other heads of states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization – which also groups Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – were due to hold a summit Friday.

Chinese diplomats said the six leaders would sign three treaties that would affirm the SCO's constitution and its mechanisms for cooperation, particularly in fighting terrorism.

http://asia.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/06/06/china.moscow/index.html