OREANDA-NEWS. March 24, 2010. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Russia has always supported China on the most sensitive issues. He assured the Chinese vice president that Russia “is ready to continue building its relations with China based on respect for our interests. Both Russia and China have many common interests.”

Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Vice President, friends, colleagues. We are pleased to welcome you in Moscow. We are grateful that you have accepted our invitation to come to Russia.

The Year of the Russian Language in China came to an end recently, and today we will embark on the Year of the Chinese Language in Russia. The programme of the Year of the Russian Language in China included nearly 200 events, in which thousands of people took part. I am confident that the Year of the Chinese Language in Russia will be equally successful.

China is Russia's strategic partner in the truest sense of the term, and we are improving relations in many spheres. Although trade between our countries has fallen due to the global economic downturn, mutual investments continue to grow.

We have created a multifaceted mechanism for coordinating our positions on the international stage and for intensifying our trade and economic ties.

We are pleased to see you. Please convey our best wishes to the President and the Prime Minister of China. Welcome to Moscow.

Xi Jinping (as translated): Mr Prime Minister, thank you for your kind invitation. Several days ago, Ms Valentina Matviyenko passed along your greetings. Thank you again.
I would like first of all to convey greetings from Chairman Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China, and Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Wen Jiabao.

People of my generation grew up under the influence of Russian literature, ideas and art. It is not surprising, therefore, that we have deep feelings of friendship toward Russia and the Russian people.

We have come to Russia on an official visit this time. I have to say that this is a dream come true for me. Your invitation is a great honour.

From the minute I arrived in Russia, I have been enchanted by Russia's nature, the cultured atmosphere and the hospitality of the Russian people. Thanks to the support and assistance provided by the Russian government in all things, my visit is going very well. It has made a deep impression on me.

As you have correctly noted, our relationship has reached unprecedented new heights. I believe that the Chinese-Russian relationship is among the most important, dynamic and meaningful relationships between global powers today.

I think it is very important for us to maintain strong Sino-Russian relations in this complicated and constantly changing international situation.

We have always believed that our relations are a foreign policy priority. Maintaining long-term and successful development of bilateral relations and a strategic partnership is the policy of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.

We think that in the future China and Russia should support each other on all strategic issues. We will invariably support you.

We also strive to move our mutually advantageous business cooperation to a higher level. We believe that in carrying out a deep transformation in the international economic order we must always consider the interests of Russia, China and many other developing countries.

In our opinion, China and Russia should continue supporting the development of a multi-polar world and the democratization of international relations with a concerted effort. We support Russia's might and prosperity as a major pole in the world order. We want Russia to play an important role in international and regional affairs, a role that corresponds to its status.

China is ready to resolve the issues in our bilateral cooperation. Thus, we support your measures to put trade in order, in particular, to curb the so-called "grey" customs clearance. We favour the development of normal, civilized trade between our two countries.

China supports Russia in its struggle against illegal immigration. That said, we believe that both sides should create favourable conditions for the travel of their citizens.

As for the secure and rational use of cross border rivers, we believe that both parties should inform each other in advance about any plans to build water facilities, and to maintain the quality of water and the course of these rivers.

I'm convinced that by pooling our efforts we will be able to carry out all the major agreements reached by our political leaders.

Vladimir Putin: In the beginning of our conversation I'd like to express my condolences to you and other Chinese leaders in connection with the tragedy in the city of Nanpin where eight children lost their lives. We were very sorry to hear about that and we sympathize with their families.

As for the directions in our cooperation, Russia also prioritizes our relations with the People's Republic of China, and sees them in a broad context.

We have always supported China on most sensitive issues, including the Taiwan issue. I'd like to reassure you that Russia is ready to continue building its relations with China based on respect for our interests. Both Russia and China have many common interests.