This year marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

25 years ago, based on a comprehensive review of the experiences and achievements of the bilateral relations, China and Russia signed the Treaty, laying a solid legal foundation for the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-Russia relations in the new century. This marked a significant milestone in the history of the bilateral relations.

Over the past 25 years, guided by the Treaty, China-Russia relations have withstood the shifting international circumstances, demonstrating stability and resilience. They are currently at their best in history, serving as a model for relations between major countries and as a strong force for maintaining world peace and stability.

I. China-Russia Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Contributes to Each Other’s Development and Revitalization

China and Russia are true friends who share weal and woe, support one another, and pursue common development. Both sides have always regarded each other as priority partners and consistently adhered to mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation. The two countries have chosen comprehensive strategic collaboration and mutually beneficial cooperation because it serves best the fundamental interests of the two peoples and adapts to the trend of times.

Over the past 25 years, under the leadership of the two Heads of State, mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Russia across all fields has yielded fruitful results, contributing to each other’s development and revitalization and bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. Both sides will continue to strengthen communication on economic and trade policies, vigorously cooperate in sectors including automotive, shipbuilding, and civil aviation industries, continue to consolidate and advance the comprehensive energy partnership, and deepen bilateral cooperation in areas including finance, customs, air transport, agriculture and forestry, and emergency management.

Based on the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence, China and Russia support each other’s right to independently choose the their own social systems system and development path, and support the preservation of each other’s historical and cultural identities and traditional values. The relationship between the two countries is built on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party. No matter what external interference or suppress the two countries face, China-Russia cooperation can overcome difficulties, stay on course, and maintain its momentum.

II. China-Russia Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Contributes to Regional Security and Stability

The two sides maintain close coordination on regional security affairs and jointly implement the Global Security Initiative. The Chinese side speaks highly of the Russian initiative of building an equal and indivisible “Eurasian Security Architecture.” The two sides call upon all states to adhere to the principle of equal and indivisible security on global and regional levels, so as to build common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security. The two sides are willing to explore cooperation within the frameworks of the Global Security Initiative and the initiative of “Eurasian Security Architecture”, to promote the exchange and alignment of different security concepts, and to strengthen strategic coordination in the field of security, so as to bring benefits to the people of the region, and contribute to world peace and tranquility.

Both sides advocate for establishing an equal and indivisible security system in the Asia-Pacific region, and engaging in truly constructive and non-confrontational cooperation. The two countries will strengthen cooperation with ASEAN, support the centrality of ASEAN in the regional architecture, maintain close communication and coordination within mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, so as to work together to safeguard regional peace and stability and promote cooperation and prosperity.

Since the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, China and Russia have maintained close communication and coordination on the evolving situation. The two sides emphasized that parties to the conflict should resume dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible to prevent the spread and spillover of the conflict. They called on the international community to uphold an objective and impartial stance, facilitate de-escalation of the tensions, and jointly safeguard the basic norms of international relations. Both sides advocated for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, believing that it would help maintain long-term stability and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need. The two sides will continue to cooperate within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), communicate promptly on major issues, and make efforts to ease tensions and uphold regional peace, stability, and global security.

III. China-Russia Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Contributes to Upholding the Post-War International Order

As major victorious countries of World War II and permanent members of the UNSC, China and Russia firmly uphold the correct historical view of World War II and defend the fruits of victory enshrined in the UN Charter and the Charters and Judgments of the Nuremberg and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and firmly oppose any attempt to deny, distort, or tamper with the history of World War II.

China and Russia firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguard common interests and international fairness, and oppose any attempt to tamper with the outcomes of World War II. Both sides advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world, and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and practice multilateralism. Russia highly commends China’s initiative of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

China and Russia firmly uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization(WTO). Both sides are willing to continue strengthening cooperation and dialogue mechanisms within the WTO framework and to coordinate positions on global trade development, including through informal consultation mechanisms among BRICS countries. Both sides will firmly uphold the fundamental principles of the WTO, such as most-favoured-nation treatment, oppose unilateralism and protectionist trade measures, promote the reform of WTO rules to keep pace with the times and better respond to the needs of the era, so that the WTO could play a greater role in global economic governance.

China and Russia have been strengthening strategic communication and coordination within the framework of the UN, and firmly upholding the authority of the UN and its central role in international affairs. The two countries have deepened collaboration within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, aiming to make it a foundation for building a safe, indivisible, sustainable development space across the Eurasian continent. Both sides are willing to continue strengthening dialogue and cooperation within the BRICS framework and promote the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation. The two sides are jointly committed to enhancing the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance and defending the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South.

Looking ahead, China and Russia will continue to uphold the spirit of everlasting good-neighborliness and friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and win-win outcomes, and comprehensive strategic coordination. We will fully implement the important consensuses reached by the Heads of State of both countries, advance the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era to new heights, and contribute more to safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting shared prosperity.