Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National
People's Congress (
NPC), held talks Monday with Gennady Seleznev, speaker of the
State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, at
the Great Hall of the People.
Li
recalled his trip to Russia last year and welcomed Seleznev's visit
to China.
He
said he was pleased to extensively exchange views with Seleznev on
relations between the NPC and the State
Duma, as well as other issues of common concern.
With the deepening of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of
cooperation, the two countries have rapidly taken their friendship
to a higher level, Li said.
Particularly this year, Li said, the two sides have kept up an
active momentum in the development of their relations and found
more common ground in bilateral and international issues.
During his visit to Russia in July, Chinese President Jiang Zemin
signed the Sino-Russian good-neighbourly treaty of friendship and
cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The treaty reiterates the friendship between the Chinese and
Russian peoples generation after generation, Li said.
The NPC Standing Committee recently endorsed the treaty, he said,
adding that he hoped that the State Duma would approve the treaty
as soon as possible.
Li
expressed his gratitude to Seleznev for the Russian people's
support for Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Summer
Olympics.
He
said that he highly valued the fact that the State Duma led by
Seleznev always sticks to the one-China policy and has made great
contributions to bilateral friendship.
With joint efforts, the two countries will surely make new
achievements in promoting their relations in the new century, Li
said.
In
recent years, he said, the State Duma has increased its exchanges
and cooperation with the NPC, which greatly boosts Sino-Russian
relations.
The NPC hopes to boost exchanges and cooperation with its Russian
counterpart to enhance their mutual understanding and trust, Li
said.
Li
also briefed the visitor on the legislative work done by the NPC
and its Standing Committee.
Seleznev said that the friendly relationship between Russia and
China has been strengthened, symbolized by the meetings between
Jiang and Putin in 2001 as well as the further cooperation between
the two countries within the framework of the Shanghai cooperation
Organization (SCO).
He
said that the state leaders of the SCO members are scheduled to
hold talks in June in Russia, and President Putin will pay a visit
to China.
Seleznev also expressed his congratulations on China's entry into
the World Trade Organization (WTO). He then said he hoped that
Russia would learn from China in this regard.
He
also said he hoped that the State Duma would increase its
cooperation with the NPC.
(Xinhua News
Agency December 11. 2001)