The two initiators of the strategic co-operative partnership between China and Russia met Monday in Beijing, and admired the sound development bilateral ties are currently enjoying.

During the meeting, the 10th between the two since 1992, both Chinese President Jiang Zemin and former Russian President Boris Yeltsin expressed their satisfaction at the development of bilateral ties between their two countries.

Sino-Russian relations have continued to develop in all fields and have achieved great, new results, said Jiang, giving credit to Yeltsin's role in promoting bilateral ties.

Jiang and Yeltsin have witnessed an improvement in bilateral relations over the last decade, highlighted by the establishment of a strategic partnership of co-ordination in 1996.

Yeltsin said that he was glad to see great improvements have been made in Russia-China co-operation since the 1996 agreement and that a fine rapport between his successor Russian President Vladimir Putin and Jiang has been established.

He stated his confidence that relations between Russia and China will enjoy better development under the leadership of Jiang and Putin.

Jiang is scheduled to visit Russia this coming July. During the visit, Jiang and Putin are expected to sign a landmark treaty on friendly neighbourhood and co-operation, which, according to Jiang, will settle in law the sincere hopes and firm determination of the two countries and two peoples to maintain friendly ties for generations.

Last month, Putin told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan that Russia considered Jiang's upcoming state visit the most important event in bilateral relations this year and stressed that the visit would be of great present and historical significance.

Putin paid a state visit to China last July. Since then, Jiang and Putin have also had opportunities to exchange their views in person on such occasions as the Shanghai Five summit, the United Nations Millennium Summit and the informal leadership meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation.

Yeltsin is in China for a holiday, the first outside Russia since he left office on December 31, 1999. He will also go to Northeast China's coastal city of Dalian.

(chinadaily.com.cn 05/29/2001)