Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged greetings Saturday to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

Hu said in his message to Putin that 55 years ago on October 2, the former Soviet Union became the first country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), starting a new age of bilateral relations.

Hu said that thanks to joint efforts in the past years, the Sino-Russian relationship has become one of the most important relationships between China and other countries, with a firm political basis, active exchanges in various fields and sound cooperation mechanisms.

Reiterating that China attaches great importance to Sino-Russian relations, Hu expressed his willingness to work together with Putin in accordance with the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation to further strengthen mutual political trust, expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields and push the Sino-Russia strategic partnership to a new level.

In his letter President Putin congratulated Hu Jintao on the 55th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.

Russia and China have every chance to bring their strategic partnership, “which is one of the most crucial factors of preserving peace not only in the region, but also on a global scale,” to a new level, Putin said.

Putin expressed confidence that “Russian-Chinese relations will remain an example of neighborly cooperation between large countries.”

In his letter Putin also stressed the need for Russia and China to maintain efforts to combat terrorism.

He called on both countries to continue joint efforts “in countering terrorism in any shape and manifestation.”

On October 1, 1949, the then Chinese leader Mao Zedong declared in Beijing the founding of the PRC. The former Soviet Union was the first to recognize the new China after its birth and diplomatic relations were established on October 2.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2004)