China's development is neither a challenge nor a threat, but an
opportunity for Russia, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Liu Guchang
said at a press conference on March 30.
China will firmly follow a road of peaceful development, said
the ambassador, attaining its development goals in a peaceful way
based on an in-depth study of world history. Liu stressed that
China does not have now, nor will it adopt in the future, any type
of expansionist policy. The nation's development does not threaten
any other nation, including Russia.
The ambassador said that China's development depends on equal
and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries. Such
relations offer a vast market and opportunities to other countries.
Liu noted that Russia is in a particularly advantageous position in
this regard as China's largest neighbor, which should give impetus
to Russia's economic development.
Moreover, China's development is conducive to the establishment
of a peaceful international environment and the maintenance of good
relations with its neighbors. This is vital to Russia's
rejuvenation, said Liu.
Sergei Prikhodko, Vladimir Putin's presidential assistant and
former deputy chief of the Kremlin administration, recently wrote
an article that appeared in Russia's Izvestia to refute the
"China threat." Blinded by historical prejudice, those holding such
a view obviously have little knowledge of today's China, Prikhodko
wrote.
The ambassador noted that Russia's development also provides a
significant opportunity to China, and a stable, prosperous and
powerful Russia benefits not only China, but also the entire
world.
Liu said that accusations concerning illegal Chinese
immigrations are groundless. In recent years, he noted, citizen
exchanges between the two countries have grown steadily. In 2003
alone, there were 660,000 visits to Russia on tours, and 1.38
million such visits from Russia to China.
The ambassador, quoting Prikhodko's Izvestia article,
said, "Reliable statistics show that permanent Chinese citizens
living in Russia total no more than 150,000 or 200,000. According
to the latest population census taken in Russia, only 35,000
Chinese citizens live in Russia permanently. Therefore, it's sheer
nonsense to accuse the Chinese government of 'encouraging'
immigration or even 'illegally emigrating' its people to
Russia."
China has no intention of "population expansion" into Russia,
and no such policies have ever been adopted. The Chinese government
now, as always, opposes illegal immigration, the ambassador said.
The country has put in place laws and policies and taken effective
steps both domestically and through international cooperation to
crack down on illegal immigration.
Liu noted that Russia and China have engaged in personnel
exchanges that have played a positive role in enhancing the
friendship between the two peoples, furthering mutual understanding
and stimulating the economies of the two countries.
However, he conceded, some Chinese citizens have in fact stayed
in Russia illegally while engaging in trade, and a few have even
illegally emigrated to the West via Russia. The Chinese government
considers this a grave issue and has cooperated with Russia to
settle it. The foreign ministries of both countries have held
regular consular consultations on this matter.
During his visit to Russia last May, President Hu Jintao signed
a joint declaration with Russian President Vladimir Putin that
explicitly proposed establishing a joint working group to solve the
immigration problem. Protocols have been exchanged on the
establishment of this group, and negotiations are expected to be
held soon.
As a result of the efforts by both sides, the number of Chinese
citizens illegally staying in Russia has diminished with each
passing year. With further bilateral cooperation, the issue of
immigration will eventually be settled appropriately.
Careful investigation into allegations of China's "population
expansion" into Russia, said Liu, will lead to a fair and honest
conclusion.
(China.org.cn by Shao Da, April 1, 2004)