On September 8, visiting Premier Zhu Rongji held the 6th China-Russia Prime Ministers’ Meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov in St. Petersburg. The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on how to conduct extensive cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, trade, scientific and technological areas and the humanities and reached broad consensus.

Kasyanov first extended a warm welcome to Zhu’s delegation to St. Petersburg for the Russia-China Prime Ministers’ Meeting. He said that St. Petersburg is a friendly city of Shanghai. It is of special significance for Russian and Chinese Prime Ministers to hold a fruitful meeting to enrich Russia-China strategic partnership of coordination. The people of St. Petersburg feel greatly honored. The Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed not long ago by the two heads of state is a historical document, which will guide the development of bilateral relations in the new century.

Zhu thanked Kasyanov for his invitation to St. Petersburg. He said that the epoch-making Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed between President Jiang Zemin and Putin is a strategic and forward-looking document, guiding the direction and principle of developing China-Russia friendly cooperation. The task of the current meeting is to implement the principles and spirit of the Treaty and the agreements reached by the two heads of state.

Zhu remarked that since last year’s meeting, the two countries have achieved great progress in pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in all areas. As regards the many cooperation projects agreed upon by the two sides, some have been implemented, others are under way to different extents. A new series of agreements will be signed after the meeting. It can be said that the vehicle of China-Russia friendly cooperation has passed the run-in period and embarked upon a fast track. We will continue to push China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination to develop forward on the basis of the achievements made.

The two sides positively assessed the work done by all the committees and subcommittees within the mechanism of China-Russia Prime Ministers’ regular meeting since the 5th meeting. The two Prime Ministers also appreciated the great amount of preparation work for the meeting done by State Councilor Wu Yi and her Russian counterpart.

On economic cooperation and trade, Zhu pointed out that after several years of exploration and practice, the two sides have increased understanding. There is great complementarity between the two countries in economic areas and trade. It is the common need of the two sides to develop equal cooperative relations of mutual trust, benefits and complementarity, which will also bring actual benefits for both. It is hoped that new concrete and effective measures will be taken to promote the balanced development of China-Russia trade. Kasyanov said that economic cooperation and trade are the foundation of developing bilateral relations and of great importance for the enrichment of bilateral strategic partnership of coordination. The governments and enterprises of the two countries have done a lot. The Russian side is ready to take active measures to import more Chinese products and promote the balanced development of bilateral trade. The Russian government supports China’s measure to establish promotion offices to hold exhibitions promoting Chinese products and set up Chinese products trading areas.

To ensure the sustained development of bilateral trade, the two sides also agreed to strike trade balance through diversified forms of supplies and new and advanced trade forms and means. They should also increase the share of heavy machinery and high-tech products in bilateral trade to optimized the trade structure, promote mutual investment, and improve the legal environment and other aspects of business cooperation. The two sides also explored cooperation in pipeline construction, machinery manufacturing, energy facility development, aerospace, civil aviation, peaceful utilization of nuclear energy, joint development of advanced technologies, expanding regional and border trade ties, development of forestry resources, transportation infrastructure building, banking, immigration, environmental protection and other fields.

The two sides positively assessed exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in the humanities and agreed that put it on the agenda of the China-Russia prime ministers’ regular meeting mechanism will help enhance the cooperation in education, cultural, health care, sports, tourism, media and other fields, expand and consolidate mutual understanding and trust, promote the friendship between the two peoples, and consolidate the social foundation of China-Russia friendship.

After the meeting, Zhu and Kasyanov attended a signing ceremony of documents such as the Joint Communiqué of the 6th China-Russia Prime Ministers’ Meeting.

The two Prime Ministers also met the press together and took their questions.

On the same night, Kasyanov hosted a grand banquet in honor of Zhu’s delegation.