The results of President Hu Jintao's visit to Russia this week reflect the determination of Beijing and Moscow to take their all-round pragmatic cooperation to new heights. This will be a blessing for the development of the two countries and for world peace.

One of the important agreements they have reached is to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive, strategic and cooperative partnership, based on equality, mutual trust, mutual support, common prosperity and long-lasting friendship.

Of all the bilateral partnerships China has entered into, the one with Russia is the richest in connotation. It is one of the most dynamic among the world's big powers, and shows the vitality and promising prospects their partnership holds.

The fact that China and Russia have been able to steer their relationship through a smooth and progressive terrain in recent years has helped them build a high degree of political mutual trust. This is because they hold similar views on many international issues and espouse the principle that international relations should be handled through a multilateral platform.

During Hu's visit, the two nations vowed to strengthen coordination and cooperation within the frameworks of the United Nations, the Group of 20, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, which also has Brazil, India and South Africa as members.

There is no doubt that together they will contribute more to world peace, security and stability, and promote multi-polarization and democratization of international relations.

The robust growth of Sino-Russian trade has played an important role in the deepening of the two neighbors' strategic partnership. They have overcome the impact of the global financial crisis on bilateral trade.

That their bilateral trade volume reached $18 billion in the first quarter and would climb to $70 billion for the whole year is proof of their growing ties.

Hu and Russian leaders have vowed to further deepen bilateral cooperation in trade and increase their trade volume to $100 billion by 2015 and $200 billion by 2020. For this, they will attach long-term and strategic importance to gearing their energy cooperation toward areas such as oil, gas, coal, nuclear energy, hydropower and renewable energy.

China and Russia also expect greater progress in mutual investment, innovation and high-tech areas, and infrastructure in border areas. And their growing cooperation and friendship will bring more benefits to peoples on both sides of the border and the world at large.

(China Daily 06/18/2011 page5)