Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin have had an in-depth exchange of views and reached consensus on a wide range of important issues including further development of Sino-Russian relations in the new century, anti-terrorism, maintenance of world and regional peace and stability.

In a meeting between the two leaders in Shanghai Saturday, Putin, who arrived here Thursday evening to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting, said that he is very happy to be in China and Shanghai again and that it is a very pleasant visit.

The Chinese government has made a great deal of careful preparations for this year's APEC meetings, he said, expressing the belief that the gathering will definitely be a success.

Putin said he is satisfied with the progress of relations between Russia and China, noting that the most important development in bilateral relations is the great extent of mutual trust that has been established between the two countries.

The exchange of visits and contacts by leaders of the two nations have given a very important impetus to bilateral cooperation in all fields, Putin said.

Putin also made clear Russia's stance and views on issues like anti-terrorism.

Jiang said that Sino-Russian relations have maintained a good and vigorous momentum since entering the new century, citing the positive response from both nations and the rest of the world to the Sino-Russian good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation signed in July.

The treaty is an important document providing guidelines for the long-term development of Sino-Russian relations and will guarantee friendship between the two nations for generations to come, Jiang said.

The issue of anti-terrorism is a focus that has drawn worldwide attention, he said, adding that on this issue, China and Russia have shared interests and a similar stand.

China unswervingly opposes terrorism in any form, whenever and wherever it occurs, and whoever it targets at, Jiang said, expressing China's firm support for actions against terrorism.

Anti-terrorism actions should aim at specific targets and avoid innocent casualties, Jiang said, stressing that such actions should conform to the United Nations (U.N.) Charter and accepted international laws and give full play to the leading role of the U. N. and its Security Council.

Jiang said that a unanimous attitude and a sole standard should be adopted in fighting terrorism and that all forms of terrorism should be opposed and crushed.

Both presidents held that Chechenian and separatist-minded " Eastern Turkistan" terrorist forces are part of the global terrorism and should be firmly opposed and smashed.

Jiang said it was far-sighted for the presidents of the six member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to sign a pact here in June on battling terrorism, separatism and extremism.

It is more urgent to combat the "Three Forces" under the current circumstances and the pact will help the Organization fight these forces in the region under the jurisdiction of its members, Jiang said.

Both Jiang and Putin maintained that more measures should be taken to give play to the role of the Organization.

The two presidents also exchanged views on other major global and regional issues of common concern.

(Xinhua News Agency 10/20/2001)