Hu made the remark during an interview with Renat Abdullin, first deputy director-general of Russia's Interfax News Agency, and Andrey Bystritskiy, vice-chairman of State TV & Radio Broadcasting Company (RTR).

On Sino-Russian ties, Hu said he will pay a state visit to Russia at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He will also attend the third Summit Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states to be held in Moscow and the celebrations of the tri-centennial anniversary of the establishment of the city of St. Petersburg.

Hu said he will have an in-depth exchange of views with Putin on bilateral ties and on major regional and international issues, so as to strengthen mutual political trust and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation and will also work to raise the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation to a new high.

Hu stressed that the Chinese government and leaders value Sino-Russian relations and will continue to adhere to the principles and polices of bilateral good-neighborly cooperation, irrespective of the change of international situation.

Expressing satisfaction with the sound development of Sino-Russian ties in recent years, Hu said the Chinese side is willing to join hands with the Russian side to inherit the past and usher in the future, so as to enter a new era of bilateral good-neighborly cooperation that benefits both countries and peoples.

When asked about Sino-Russian economic and trade cooperation, Hu said China and Russia, the largest neighbors in the region, boast complimentary economies.

Both sides have seen the great potential for economic and trade cooperation, bolstered by the strong political relations, Hu said, adding that bilateral trade has witnessed rapid growth and achieved remarkable results due to joint efforts.

Especially in the past four years, Hu said, bilateral trade volume has seen steady growth, with that of last year reaching some US$12 billion, while the volume enjoyed good growth momentum from January to April of this year.

The further enhancement of economic and trade cooperation is of great importance to consolidating the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation, Hu said.

Both sides should observe, in the spirit of strategic and mutually beneficial cooperation, market principles and international norms and take into consideration each other's economic needs, so as to enhance bilateral economic and technological cooperation, improve the trade service system, facilitate the entry of goods, service and investment into each other's markets, and positively explore new areas, fields and modes of economic and trade cooperation.

On China's fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Hu said the SARS is a new epidemic practically unknown to human beings. The Chinese government, faced with the deadly disease, has always placed priority on safeguarding the lives and health of its people.

Chinese leaders and experts have visited hospitals to collect first-hand information, learn about the disease and its treatment and evaluate experiences, and have also taken decisive, yet effective, measures to prevent and contain the epidemic, he said.

He said China has made relevant laws and regulations, established an emergency response mechanism and set up an epidemic monitoring and reporting system to inform the public of the situation.

Hu said China has also increased spending on and created a special fund for free medical treatment to rural patients and to provide welfare assistance to poor urban residents.

He said the Chinese government has provided extensive education and publicity on the SARS, urging its people to help prevent and control the SARS and requiring early discovery, report, isolation and treatment of the epidemic in order to control the spread of the disease.

The country has now organized its top experts to tackle key problems related to the epidemic, strengthened research on the origin of the disease and improved medical treatment, he said.

China has also adopted strict quarantine measures at international border entry points to prevent SARS patients from entering or exiting the country, he said, noting that exchanges and cooperation with the World Health Organization and other countries have been tightened.

As a result of these efforts, China has made notable progress in the anti-SARS combat, Hu said, adding that the effective control and gradual eradication of SARS remains an arduous task.

As experience has shown, the SARS epidemic can be prevented, treated and controlled, Hu said, noting that the Chinese people are determined and confident about winning the battle with the support of the international community.

Expressing his gratitude to the Russian government and people for their understanding and support for the Chinese people, Hu said China is willing to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the international community in order to make positive contributions to the anti-SARS combat.

During the interview, Hu also answered questions on anti-terrorism efforts, Iraq and the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2003)