On September 11, Premier Zhu Rongji, who is paying an official visit to Russia, went to the Kremlin to meet with Russian President Putin. The two sides held warm and friendly talks.

Zhu first conveyed President Jiang Zemin’s cordial greetings to President Putin. Putin also asked Zhu to return his cordial greetings to President Jiang.

Putin extended a warm welcome to Zhu for his official visit to Russia and attendance at the 6th regular meeting between Russian and Chinese prime ministers. He said that the Russian side is satisfied with the important results of the Russia-China prime ministers’ meeting. The two prime ministers and the departments concerned of the two governments have done a lot of concrete work and reached a series of agreements to implement the spirit and principle of the China-Russia Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. He said that he has met President Jiang Zemin twice so far this year and they will meet again in Shanghai next month. Keeping frequent contact between the two countries’ leaders is of great significance to the development of bilateral relations. At present, the fast growth of Russia-China ties in the fields of politics, economy and trade, science and technology, culture, education, health and sports is encouraging.

Zhu said that the China-Russia Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed by President Jiang and Putin laid a solid foundation for the regular prime minister meeting’s success and that the documents signed at the meeting are concrete steps in implementing the treaty’s spirit and principle. The cooperative documents, including agreements on a Russia-China oil pipeline, the Chinese purchase of Russian planes, continued cooperation in peaceful utilization of nuclear power signed by both sides with the sincere spirit of cooperation, will give a strong impetus to bilateral trade and economic cooperation, hopefully adding tens of billions of U.S. dollars to bilateral trade volume. Zhu also put forward a number of concrete measures to increase Russia’ import from China and improve China-Russia trade balance, including the setting up of a Chinese trading center in Moscow, Russia’s dispatching of a large number of businessmen and industrialists to visit China every year and the increasing of direct trade links between large- and medium- sized enterprises of the two countries.

Putin agreed with Zhu's proposals. He said the Russian government attaches great importance to the agreements reached this time and will see its relevant departments implement them in real earnest. The Russian side will take active steps to let more Chinese products enter the Russian market in a bid to improve bilateral trade balance.

Putin expressed his satisfaction with the coordination and cooperation of the two sides in the world arena, saying that he especially appreciate the cooperation on safeguarding and preserving the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty. He also expressed his hope that the two sides will keep contact and strengthen their coordination and cooperation in maintaining international security and strategic stability. Zhu noted that the ABM Treaty, now an issue of world attention, directly involves the strategic and security interests of both China and Russia and China is willing to strengthen consultations and cooperation with Russia in this aspect.

The two leaders also conducted an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern. Both sides agreed that China and Russia, as permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, bear great responsibilities for safeguarding the world peace and security. China and Russia are committed to making joint efforts to maintain the Purpose and Principle of the UN Charter and strengthen the central role of the United Nations and its Security Council in international affairs in a bid to push forward the establishment of a multi-polar world on the basis of international law. On regional issues including the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula and Afghanistan, both leaders vowed to intensify coordination and cooperation and promote the peaceful settlement of regional conflicts by the means of political dialogues.

Putin finally said again that he is looking forward to meeting with President Jiang again while attending the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting this October in Shanghai.