Q: This year marks the fifth anniversary of the signature of Treaty of Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia. What's China's comment on that?

A: This year marks the fifth anniversary of the signature of the Treaty of Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia. On 16 July 2001, Presidents of China and Russia signed the Treaty in Moscow, setting the objectives and principles on developing the long-term and stable good-neighborly relations of friendship and mutually beneficially cooperation between the two countries on the basis of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting at any third country, thus solidifying the peaceful thoughts of "To be friends forever and never be enemies" in the legal form. This is a programmatic document guiding the development of the strategic and collaborative partnership between China and Russia. The Signature of the Treaty is a milestone in the development of China-Russia ties, a great event on the international political scene at the beginning of the 21st century, and serves as an example of state-to-state relations in the new historical era. In order to comprehensively implement the Treaty, in 2004, Presidents of the two countries approved the Implementation Program for the Treaty of Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between China and Russia (2005 to 2008), presenting the principles and orientation on the development of bilateral cooperation in all fields.

In the past five years, China-Russia ties have, under the guidance of the principles and spirits set in the Treaty, maintained good momentum of energetic and healthy development with joint efforts from both countries. The two countries have witnessed frequent exchanges of high-level visits and have continuously enhanced mutual political trust. China and Russia have also completely settled all border issues left over from history on the basis of equal-footed consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, comprehensively expanded and deepened pragmatic cooperation in all fields on the principle of mutual-benefit and maintained close communication and coordination on international and regional issues. The Sino-Russian relations have reached an unprecedented high level, yielded great benefit for the two peoples and played an important role in preserving the peace and stability in the region and the world at large. We determine to work together with Russia to continuously and comprehensively implement the Treaty, continuously upgrade the level of our strategic and collaborative partnership, so as to benefit the two peoples and the entire human kind.