Members of the China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee Wednesday pledged to further promote non-governmental exchanges and cooperation in a comprehensive way.

Proposed by leaders of the two countries, the committee was established in 1997, with the aim of deepening mutual understanding and traditional friendship, promoting good-neighborly cooperation, and consolidating and expanding the social foundation for the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation.

The committee held its fifth plenary meeting in Beijing yesterday. It completed re-election of committee members before the meeting.

The previous four plenary meetings of the non-governmental organization were held alternately in Beijing and Moscow, enabling members to have in-depth discussions on the implementation of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation; the promotion of bilateral economic, scientific, cultural and regional cooperation; and friendly exchanges of young people.

President Hu Jintao said in his congratulatory letter to the meeting that the committee members of the two countries have contributed a lot to the promotion of mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples over the past six years.

It is critically important to constantly deepen mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the two peoples to realize the goal of ensuring that the two countries carry on their friendship from generation to generation and never target each other as enemies, Hu said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his letter of congratulations that it is important to strengthen the social base of Russia-China ties and encourage the young people of the two countries to carry on the tradition of friendship and trust.

(China Daily September 11, 2003)