China and Russia

April 20, Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Guchang met on appointment with the Russian ambassador to China Igor Alexeyevich Rogachev, who congratulated China on its ninth success to defeat the anti-China motion sponsored by the west at the 56th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and conveyed the oral message of the Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov to Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan concerning the proposed discussion of the Chechnya issue at the meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

　　May 7, President Jiang Zemin, on behalf of the Chinese government and people and in his own name, sent a message of congratulation to Vladimir Putin on his assumption of office as president of Russia.

　　May 12, Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Guchang met with the deputy chief editor of the Russian News Agency-TASS, who was on a visit of China at the invitation of the Guangming Daily.

　　May 16, Premier Zhu Rongji sent a letter of congratulation to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov on his assumption of office as prime minister of the Russian Federation.

　　May 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a letter to President Jiang Zemin in acknowledgement of President Jiang’s message of congratulation on his assumption of the office.

　　On the same day Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan sent a message of congratulation to Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on his re-appointment as foreign minister of Russia.

　　May 19, the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, state councilor and defense minister Chi Haotian sent a letter of congratulation to Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev on his retention of post as defense minister.

　　May 31, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov sent a letter to Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan in acknowledgement of the latter’s message of congratulation on his re-appointment as foreign minister.

　　June 8, President Jiang Zemin received the call of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the hot line. The two leaders had extensive and in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and international issues of common concern.

　　June 9, the Russian ambassador to China Rogachev hosted the Russian National Day reception, and the vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Jiang Chunyun and the leading members of the departments concerned were present on the occasion.

　　June 12, President Jiang Zemin sent a message of congratulation to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the Russian National Day.

　　June 24-30, the chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma Rogozin led a delegation to visit China, and NPC Standing Committee Chairman Li Peng met with him.

　　June 27, Vice Premier Wen Jiabao met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matviyenko in Geneva, where he was attending the special session of the UN General Assembly on social development. The two sides exchanged views on matters concerning the Sino-Russian relations, social development and China’s accession to WTO.

　　July 4, the foreign ministers of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan held a meeting in Dushanbe and signed a joint communiqué.

　　July 5, during the meeting of the heads of state of “Shanghai 5” in Dushanbe, President Jiang Zemin met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and invited him to breakfast. The two leaders exchanged views on extensive matters of common interest.