Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has come out in strong support of Russia's stance in maintaining national unity and territorial integrity and ensuring the safety of its people. Wen was speaking to Russia's Interfax and Itar-Tass news agencies before his visit to Russia. 

Wen said he hoped the two agencies could convey his greetings to the Russian people, his condolences for the innocent victims of the recent terrorist atrocities at the Beslan school and his sympathy to their families and all the Russian people. He strongly condemned the atrocities and kidnappings.

Wen quoted the Russian maxim that a trouble shared is a trouble halved.

"The Chinese government and people are ready to, as much as they can, assist the Russian government and people when the Russian people are in difficulties," he said.

"We believe that under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government, the Russian people will overcome the current difficulties, maintain national stability and security and make further progress in economic and social development," he said.

Wen left Beijing on Tuesday morning to visit Kyrgyzstan and Russia and attend the third meeting of the prime ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states and the ninth regular meeting between the prime ministers of China and Russia.

During his stay in Russia, Wen is scheduled to meet President Vladimir Putin, speak with Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and confer with State Duma Chairman Boris Cryzlov and Federation Council Chairman Sergei Mironov.

China and Russia's relationship is the best it has ever been, Wen said. He listed four points to support his view.

First, the two countries have set up a strategic partnership as a goal for long-term development of bilateral ties. Sino-Russian relations should be handled in an overall, long-term and strategic perspective.

Second, the two countries have signed the Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, which serves as the legal foundation for friendly bilateral relations.

Third, the leaders of the two countries have developed a mechanism for meetings, which is believed to help promote mutual understanding and consensus.

Fourth, the two countries have increased cooperation and consultations in dealing with international and regional issues in the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other organizations, and worked jointly to promote world peace and development.

Wen said Sino-Russian relations have entered a new stage of development featuring political mutual trust, economic cooperation and cultural exchanges.

The two countries have long-standing cultural traditions and civilizations, and their cultures have had a great impact on each other, said Wen. The Chinese people are familiar with the great Russian works Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

Wen said that Russian people also knew about Chinese culture. The theories of Confucius, Mencius, and Laotzu have had a great impact on Russian philosophy and literature.

Chinese and Russian scientists and artists have made great contributions to the development of the world's culture and science. Strengthening cultural exchanges between the two countries will enhance their friendship and cooperation, Wen said.

Optimistic about political, economic and cultural relations between the two countries, Wen quoted another Russian maxim: "God let us become neighbors." China and Russia share a 4,300-kilometer border.

"We should be friends from generation to generation and never treat each other as enemies," Wen said.

He said this year marked the 55th anniversary of Sino-Russian diplomatic ties, and the two heads of state agreed to mark it as a year of friendship between the youths of the two countries.

Youths are not only the future of development, but also the future of friendship between the two countries, Wen said. He also recalled his childhood memories of Russia, saying young heroes of the former Soviet Union, such as Nikolay Ostrovsky, who wrote How the Steel was Tempered, have been known to Chinese for several generations.

Wen said cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies should be carried out under the principle of equality and mutual benefit.

He listed preferential areas for cooperation such as energy resources, scientific cooperation, high-technology, equipment manufacturing and infrastructure, saying he would have discussions with Russian scientists during his coming visit to Russia.

He said Russia had scored many achievements in aviation, new material and biological technology while China has also made progress in these regards. The two sides should enhance cooperation in such fields, Wen added.

Russia also has a good foundation on equipment making, especially nuclear utilization, electricity generation and heavy machine manufacturing, while China has maintained rapid development in communications, electronics, and textile and shipbuilding industries, said Wen. The two countries should cooperate in machinery and equipment making, he said.

Wen predicted the possible results of his Russian tour, saying the two sides could sum up their cooperation in the past year and work towards resolving existing problems to pinpoint the goals and tasks ahead.

Wen and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov will jointly declare the completion of China-Russia negotiations on Russia's entry to the WTO -- leading to the countries signing the agreement.

The two nations are to enact a program in which concrete cooperative content will be involved, said Wen. The two sides will have consultations on enhancing cooperation in energy, oil and natural gas in particular, which Wen believes will make progress.

The two sides will pledge to cement coordination and cooperation in cracking down on the forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, said the premier.

The Chinese premier said: "China firmly supports Russia's entry to the WTO, and I can clearly assure you that through joint efforts, the talks on bilateral market accession between China and Russia is now at the closing stage," Wen said.

Wen emphasized China's support for Russia's entry, because they are strategic partners and Russia's WTO accession will benefit both countries.

"That's why we said earlier that China will become one of the first nations to strike a deal with Russia on its WTO accession," Wen said. "After Russia's entry to the WTO, China-Russia economic and trade relations will gain new strength to grow within the framework of the WTO."

Over the past five years, Sino-Russian trade has been growing at an average of 20 percent annually. Bilateral trade reached US$15.7 billion last year, and is expected to top US$20 billion this year, a year ahead of the target set by leaders of the two countries.

Wen predicted that Sino-Russian trade would reach US$60 to 80 billion by 2010 at the current growth rate.

The Chinese premier proposed that the two countries expand cooperation not only in commodities trade, but also in service trade, investment, tourism, finance and high-tech areas.

As to the disputes arising from bilateral trade and economic ties, Wen said the two sides can resolve them through "consultation" and "taking into consideration the interests of the other side."

"I hope we can establish a good trade order and a fine consultation mechanism to keep our trade growing in a healthy way," he said.

China is willing to cooperate with Russia in oil production and building nuclear power plants, said Wen.

He said it was in the interests of both China and Russia to boost oil and gas cooperation. The leaders of both sides have reached consensus and have worked hard to develop a plan for the oil pipeline from Russia's Angarsk to China's Daqing. China believes the Russian government and businesses will regard China as a prior destination of the pipeline as China is the most long-standing and stable oil and gas market to Russia.

Before the pipeline is built, China is willing to strengthen energy cooperation with Russia in other ways, for instance, expanding Russian oil exports to China through railway transport.

Russia will be able to export a total of 15 million tons of oil to China by 2006. Meanwhile, Chinese companies are willing to cooperate with Russian companies in prospecting, exploiting and developing oil, said Wen.

In addition, Wen noted that nuclear plant construction was another important field in Sino-Russian energy cooperation. China's present total installed generating capacity of nuclear power is only 6.7 million kilowatts. It is expected to reach 8.7 million kilowatts by 2005, only 2 percent of China's gross installed generating capacity.

China has decided to build more nuclear power plants and buy advanced technology and equipment through public bidding. China and Russia have carried out effective cooperation in the construction of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in Jiangsu Province.

Wen said he hopes both sides will continue to cooperate to ensure construction quality.

Russian businesses are welcome to invest in northeast China, where the two countries share traditional economic ties, Wen told the Russian media.

Russian businesses could bring in their advanced technologies, expert personnel and high-quality services to help revitalize northeast China.

Wen said Russian enterprises may join in local industrial reforms through various means and are especially welcome to invest in building infrastructure such as communications, roads and power grids.

"Good infrastructure facilities are not only beneficial to northeast China but also to Sino-Russia cooperation," Wen said.

With abundant natural resources, northeast China was the country's old industrial base and played a crucial role in boosting China's economic development. Currently, about one-third of the country's cash crops, two-fifths of its petroleum, half of its timber and more than a quarter of its machinery are generated in this area.

To revitalize the old industrial base, Wen encouraged firms in both countries to tap the resources.

Wen also expressed his thanks to the former Soviet Union government and its people for supporting China's economic development. "We won't forget this period of history," he said.

(China Daily September 23, 2004)