RUSSIA, CHINA TO SIGN TREATY ON FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION








BEIJING, MARCH 6, 2001 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT ALEKSANDER ISAYEV/ -- Chairman of China Jiang Zemin will visit Russia this July. During the visit a treaty on friendship and cooperation between Russia and China will be signed, China's Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said this Tuesday speaking in the country's parliament.


	In his words, the treaty is to raise the existing bilateral relations to a new level. 


	The Foreign Minister noted that Russia-China cooperation is successfully developing thereby citing an example of the new type of interstate relations.


	According to the minister's estimate, the bilateral relations run on the fundamentals of equal partnership which is not aimed against third countries. He stressed that Russia and China are good friends, neighbours and partners.


	The Chinese official added that relations between the two countries in political, economic, scientific and technical, military and other spheres are maintaining momentum.


	This year, he said, the relations between the two countries will experience new moments. Russia and China will continue exchanges at the summit level. Tang Jiaxuan announced that in 2001 President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia will visit China twice: in summer he will participate in the Shanghai Five summit, and in autumn in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting.