Jiang, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when he met with visiting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov. It is Ivanov's first China visit since becoming Russian defense minister.

Premier Zhu Rongji also held talks with Ivanov Friday.

Jiang said that China and Russia are countries with great influence in the world arena, as well as being good neighbors, and the establishment of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation is the wise choice of the leaders of the two countries.

He said that this partnership has developed smoothly, indicating that the exchanges of high-level visits between the two countries have been frequent, and that political trust has been promoted.

Moreover, the two countries have conducted substantial cooperation in all fields, and cooperated fruitfully in dealing with international affairs, he added.

Jiang said that Sino-Russian relations have achieved a positive development momentum, and that the Sino-Russian good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation signed last year has become a guiding document for the development of Sino-Russian relations in the new century.

The treaty has also given the ideal of long-term friendship and never taking each other as enemies a legal framework.

Ivanov said that Russia-China state and military relations have developed rapidly in recent years, and contacts between the defense ministries of the two countries have been increasing.

He said that Russia values its relations with China, and hopes to further its cooperation with the Chinese armed forces.

"The development of military relations between Russia and China not only benefits both nations, but also helps promote regional and world peace and stability," said Ivanov.

He also said that the Russian Government is looking forward to Jiang's attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, next month.

(China Daily June 1, 2002)