On December 31, 2020, President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged New Year congratulatory messages.
In his congratulatory message, Xi Jinping, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended sincere greetings and best wishes to President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people. Xi Jinping pointed out, 2020 was a very extraordinary year during which the Chinese and Russian people helped each other and worked together to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, thus writing a new chapter of good neighborly relations of the two countries. Both sides launched the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation, promoted stable development of economic and trade cooperation under regular pandemic prevention and control, and achieved new results in synergizing the Belt and Road Construction and the Eurasian Economic Union. China and Russia jointly celebrated the 75th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations, which shows our unwavering resolve of safeguarding international fairness and justice and making new contribution to building a new model of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind. During this year, I had multiple phone conversations with President Putin, and we attended a series of multilateral video summits, exchanged views on the China-Russia relations and major international and regional issues and reached new and important consensuses, for which I highly commend.
Xi Jinping stressed that the upcoming 2021 is of special significance for the China-Russia relations. The two sides will focus on the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation, carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries, and draw up new vision and bring new substance to the China-Russia relations in the new era. I am willing to keep close exchanges with President Putin in all forms and guide the two sides to deepen our comprehensive strategic partnership and all-round practical cooperation, bringing more benefits to the two peoples and injecting more positive energy to this world of turbulence and change.
In his congratulatory message, Vladimir Putin extended his sincere New Year greetings to President Xi Jinping and wished the Chinese people happiness and good health. Vladimir Putin said this passing year has witnessed the ongoing and rapid development of comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and China, continuous close communication between the governments, legislative institutions and various departments of the two countries, the successful launch of large-scale events celebrating the Russia-China Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation, and high-level bilateral economic and trade cooperation despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides worked closely together to solve regional and international hotspot issues, and coordinated within the framework of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS. Next year, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation. I believe both sides will continue to uphold the spirit of the Treaty, and work hand in hand to realize new development of the Russia-China relations.
On the same day, Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also exchanged New Year congratulatory messages. In his congratulatory message, Li Keqiang said, China and Russia worked hard to overcome the pandemic and external challenges, and kept a positive momentum of growth in all-around cooperation in the passing year. The two sides successfully held the 25th regular meeting between Chinese Premier and Russian Prime Minister and reached many new consensuses. I am willing to enhance communication and coordination with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to give a full play to the coordinating role of the regular meeting between Chinese Premier and Russian Prime Minister, and facilitate continuous, healthy and stable development of the bilateral practical cooperation. Mikhail Mishustin said in his congratulatory message, he believes the mechanism of regular meeting between Russian Prime Minister and Chinese Premier will help the two sides to achieve established goals and push the bilateral cooperation to a higher level in the new year.