China and Russia

In 2013, the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation continued to move forward from a new historical starting point. Their political mutual trust was further strengthened, exchanges and cooperation in various sectors produced important results, and strategic coordination was further intensified.

The two countries had close exchanges at the top and other levels. In 2013, the two presidents had five meetings, three telephone conversations and 16 exchanges of messages, jointly ushering the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination into a new stage. From 22 to 24 March, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia. On 5 September, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Eighth G20 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, where they had an in-depth exchange of views on the growth of China-Russia relations and cooperation in various sectors . On 7 October, the two presidents met on the sidelines of the 21st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bali, Indonesia, where they had an in-depth exchange of views on the growth of bilateral ties and cooperation in a whole range of areas.

The two prime ministers had two meetings, three telephone conversations and nine exchanges of messages, which boosted China- Russia relations and cooperation in various sectors. From 22 to 23 October, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev paid an official visit to China and attended the 18th Regular Meeting between Chinese and Russian Prime Ministers with Premier Li Keqiang. He also met with President Xi Jinping and NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang respectively. The two heads of government signed and issued the Joint Communiqué on the 18th Regular Meeting Between the Heads of Government of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation. On 29 November, Premier Li Keqiang met with Prime Minister Medvedev on the sidelines of 12th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO Member States in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Exchanges between legislatures of the two countries were frequent. On 28 January, NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo met with Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matvienko on the sidelines of the 21st Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Vladivostok, Russia. From 22 to 25 September, NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang visited Russia. He held talks with Federation Council Chairwoman Matvienko and they attended the Seventh Meeting of the Cooperation Committee of the NPC and the Federation Council. He met with President Putin and State Duma Chairman Sergei Naryshkin. He also visited Irkutsk and met with Governor Sergei Eroschenko. From 26 to 28 May, State Duma Chairman Naryshkin visited China. He held talks with NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang and they attended the Sixth Meeting of the Cooperation Committee of the NPC and the State Duma. He also met with President Xi Jinping.

Institutional exchanges in various sectors were carried out smoothly. From 14 to 16 August, State Councilor Yang Jiechi visited Russia. He held the Ninth Round of China-Russia Strategic Security Consultation with Federal Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and met with President Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. From 29 to 31 October, General Xu Qiliang, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Russia and co-chaired the 18th meeting of China-Russia Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Military Technology Cooperation with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. From 20 to 23 November, Vice Premier Wang Yang attended the closing ceremony of the "Year of Chinese Tourism" in Russia and met with Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets. From 8 to 9 January, Federal Security Council Secretary Patrushev held the Eighth Round of China- Russia Strategic Security Consultation with State Councilor Dai Bingguo in Beijing. He also met with CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping and State Councilor Meng Jianzhu. On 25 February, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich had a meeting in Beijing with Vice Premier Wang Qishan as co-chairs of the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee. From 19 to 21 August, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin had a meeting with Vice Premier Wang Yang as co-chairs of the China- Russia Prime Minsiters' Regular Meeting Committee in Harbin. On 24 September, Deputy Prime Minister Golodets and Vice Premier Liu Yandong held the 14th Meeting of China-Russia Cultural Cooperation Committee in Guilin. On 15 October, Deputy Prime Minister Dvorkovich and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli held the 10th Meeting of the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee in Beijing. On 18 October, Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin and Vice Premier Wang Yang held the 17th Meeting of the China- Russia Prime Minsiters' Regular Meeting Committee in Xi'an.

Other high-level contact between the two countries were frequent. From 24 to 28 April, State Councilor Guo Shengkun visited Russia. He held talks with Federal Security Council Secretary Patrushev and had meetings with Prosecutor General Yury Chaika, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov and Federal Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin. From 19 to 22 June, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli attended and addressed the 17th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia. He also met with President Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and Deputy Prime Minister Dvorkovich. From 2 to 4 July, Meng Jianzhu, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, attended the Fourth International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in Vladivostok, Russia. He made a keynote speech on cyber and information security and met with Federal Security Council Secretary Patrushev. From 14 to 15 April, First Deputy Prime Minister Shuvalov visited China. He had a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang and held talks with Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli. From 10 to 11 September, Deputy Prime Minister Dvorkovich attended the Annual Meeting of the New Champions of World Economic Forum in Dalian and met with Premier Li Keqiang.

Foreign ministers of the two countries stayed in close touch. From 20 to 22 February, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visited Russia and met with President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov. Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Lavrov met on multiple international occasions, had telephone conversations and exchanged correspondence to exchange views and coordinate positions on major regional and international issues.

The two countries extended to each other even firmer support on issues concerning sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and other core interests. China supported Russia in fighting terrorism and safeguarding its sovereignty and security. Russia supported China's principles and positions on the Taiwan question, Tibet- and Xinjiang-related issues and other issues.

Pragmatic cooperation was fruitful. The two sides actively expanded and deepened their business cooperation and accelerated investment cooperation. The China-Russia Investment Fund operated smoothly. Energy cooperation was advanced in an all-round manner. Integrated upstream-downstream oil and gas cooperation made important progress. It was agreed that Russia would increase crude oil supply to China through oil pipelines and maritime transport. Cooperation in the areas of coal, electricity and new energy continued to expand. Nuclear energy cooperation saw positive results, as the building of generators unit 3 and unit 4 of the second phase of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Station was successfully launched. The two sides made progress in the preliminary feasibility study for joint R&D of long-range and wide-body passenger planes, and had active discussions on the joint R&D of heavy helicopters. Scientific and technological cooperation was further expanded. The two sides took solid steps to implement the cooperation agreements that the Torch Hightech Industry Development Center of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Zhongguancun Science Park had signed with the Skolkovo Innovation Center of Russia, which was about exchanges and cooperation in science park, enterprise incubator, technology transfer and financing for innovation. Cooperation at the subnational level was carried out on various fronts. The two sides officially launched the cooperation mechanism between the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Volga Federal District, the first cooperation mechanism between non-adjacent regions of the two countries. Cross-border infrastructure development made steady progress. The Tongjiang River railway bridge project was expected to start soon. Thanks to the close coordination between and direction by the two heads of government, the two sides jointly fought the severe flood in the Heilongjiang River basin and minimized losses in the disaster-striken area. Environmental cooperation in the border areas was productive.

People-to-people and cultural exchanges flourished. Over 400 activities within the framework of the "Chinese Tourism Year" in Russia were successfully held. In March, President Xi Jinping and President Putin attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the "Chinese Tourism Year". In May, Vice Premier Liu Yandong and State Duma Chairman Naryshkin attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the "Russian Film Festival", which was successfully held in China. In the same month, 100 Chinese university students made a study tour to Moscow State University. In August, 300 Chinese children from the earthquake-hit areas of Lushan, Sichuan Province went to Russia for recuperation, and they were received by Deputy Prime Minister Golodets. In September, Vice Premier Wang Yang and Deputy Prime Minister Golodets attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the "Chinese Film Festival", which was successfully held in Russia. In November, the closing ceremony of the "Chinese Tourism Year" was smoothly staged, which marked a successful conclusion to the Chinese and Russian tourism year activities. The two sides actively implemented the action plan for China-Russia people-to-people and cultural cooperation. Important progress was made in preparation for setting up a memorial of the Sixth CPC Congress which was held in Russia. The two presidents agreed to make 2014 and 2015 the China-Russia youth friendship and exchange years. Organizing committees on both sides were set up and have been actively preparing for relevant activities.

The two countries maintained close strategic coordination in international affairs. China and Russia conducted effective coordination within multilateral mechanisms which they both participated in, including the UN, G20, BRICS and SCO, and had close communication and cooperation on major regional and international issues. The two countries worked together to uphold peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and to promote the political settlement process of the Syrian issue and the Iranian nuclear issue. With identical views on the Second World War, the two countries worked together to safeguard the victorious outcome of the world anti-Fascist war and the post-war international order. The two countries also maintained close consultation on the overall international situation, counter-terrorism, international information security, Arctic affairs, and other major issues to uphold their common interests, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and widely recognized principles of international law, as well as regional and world peace and stability.