On September 11, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who is accompanying Premier Zhu Rongji on a visit to Russia, held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in Moscow.

Tang first thanked the Russian Foreign Ministry for its meticulous arrangements for Premier Zhu’s official visit to Russia and the 6th China-Russia prime ministers’ meeting. He said that the prime ministers’ meeting is rich and fruitful. All the seven important documents on bilateral ties signed at the regular meeting reflect the spirit and principles of the China-Russia Good- Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed by the heads of the two countries. A salient feature of the regular meeting is to make sure that the Chinese-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation is strengthened by improving their trade and economic cooperation and other areas of friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation. The next step for the two countries is to mobilize their relevant institutions to effectively carry out the agreements reached between the top leaders of the two countries.

Ivanov fully appreciated Tang's viewpoints, saying the Russian side is very satisfied with the results of this regular meeting of the two premiers. Fulfilling the treaty signed by the heads of state of the two nations through Premier Zhu's visit will bring the two countries’ people more boons. The foreign ministries of the two countries should strengthen their coordination to promote the relevant authorities of the two countries to implement the agreement reached by the leaders of the two countries.

Tang and Ivanov also held an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern and reached a broad consensus. Ivanov stressed that the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty is the cornerstone of international security and strategic stability and Russia will adhere to its stand on maintaining and sticking to the treaty and will not change its position. Tang said that keeping the ABM treaty is of great importance for global strategic stability and all countries’ security interests. The Chinese side is ready to continue coordination and cooperation with Russia. They agreed that China and Russia, as permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, bear great responsibilities for defending world peace and security. The two should further expand bilateral coordination and cooperation in international affairs in order to maintain global peace and security as well as to boost the common prosperity and development of all countries.