China-Russia friendship passes from generation to generation

Hu Chunmei

J uly 16 was the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of GoodNeighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and Russia.

Twenty years ago， the treaty enshrined in legal terms the peaceful idea that China and Russia will enjoy friendship from generation to generation and never be enemies. It has laid a solid foundation for sound， steady， long-term development of bilateral relations in the new century and is an important milestone in the history of China-Russia relations.

In the past two decades， China and Russia have forged ahead hand in hand despite complex changes in the international landscape. Neighborly， friendly relations have been increasingly consolidated； mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results； and traditional friendship between the people of the two countries is full of vitality. People- to-people diplomacy has played an indispensable role.

Over the past 20 years， the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-Russia Friendship Association （CRFA） have taken the treaty as guidance to hold a series of activities in various forms and as an influence deepening mutual understanding and traditional friendships between the two peoples， leaving a significant stroke in the chronicle of friendly exchanges.

Vigorously developing people-topeople exchanges and inheriting the century-long friendship

Amity between people is the key to sound state-to-state relations， and the friendship of the people lies in mutual understanding. In the 21st century， China and Russia have held national theme years， such as the Year of China， Year of Russia， Chinese Language Year， Russian Language Year， Year of Tourism， Year of Youth， Year of Media， Year of Local Cooperation and Exchanges and Year of Science and Technology Innovation. The CPAFFC and the CRFA have held many important supporting activities during these years， including exchanges of visits by the top leaders of both countries， to give an active voice to people-to-people friendship. There have been conferences or receptions to commemorate the anniversary of the treaty in both countries， celebrations on the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties， China-Russia Friendship Month， seminars， performances， photo exhibitions， commemorative stamp albums， compilations of bilingual poetry anthologies， writing and singing the China-Russia Friendship Song， among others — all of which have attracted wide attention and a warm response from all sectors of society in both countries and won the support and praise of the top state leaders.

In September 2015， to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression， the CPAFFC received some Soviet veterans who helped China， along with representatives of their relatives， at commemorative activities. Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded medals commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the war of resistance against Japan to three Russian veterans including Senior General Makhmut Akhmetovich Gareyev.

In April that year， the CPAFFC and its Russian partners jointly held a seminar — “Remembering history and looking to the future： Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Victory” —as well as a large-scale music performance “Victory 1945”. In June 2016， during Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to China， the CPAFFC， the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China-Russia Committee for Friendship， Peace and Development jointly held a conference to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the signing of the treaty at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Presidents Xi and Putin attended the conference and delivered important speeches. They also watched the performance of the China-Russia Friendly Night with great interest. It fully reflected the high importance the two heads of state attached to the 15th anniversary of the signing of the friendship treaty， highlighted strong support for the cause of China-Russia peopleto-people friendship and greatly encouraged friendship-promoting people from both countries. The commemoration was widely praised by all sectors of society and called “a historic event”in the history of people-to-people friendship between China and Russia.

In June 2018， during President Putins visit to China， the CPAFFC invited and received Russian friends from all walks of life， with representatives of relatives of the Soviet veterans who fought in China against Japanese aggression， to witness President Xi awarding Putin the Friendship Medal of the PRC — the first awarded to a foreigner. The Russian friends responded warmly to the award ceremony， saying that the medal reflected the Chinese peoples idea of pursuing peace， embodies their profound friendship toward the Russian people represented by Putin and demonstrated Chinas strength of character as a major country.

In 2019， a series of activities unfolded in Moscow and Beijing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the 70th anniversary of the CRFA， including a celebration conference and the Second China-Russia Financial Cooperation Forum held in Moscow， a reception attended and addressed by Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov and “Night of Heihe： Evening with the Russian Red Army Song and Dance Troupe” in Beijing， among others.

Li Zhanshu， chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of China， said in his speech at the reception that as an important channel for people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia， the CRFA has always been committed to enhancing mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples and played an important role in building stronger public support for relations.

People-to-people diplomacy is a profound force in pushing forward exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. Over the past 20 years， the CPAFFC and CRFA have actively promoted personnel exchanges from all walks of life in the two countries and carried forward the fine cultures of both sides through various exchange activities. The exhibition of works by Chinese photographers — Intoxicating Beauty of Russia — the photo exhibition by Russian artists — From Moscow to Faraway Places — as well as the theme painting exhibition ChinaRussia Friendship in the New Era， among others in different places in China， showed the splendid local customs and culture of China and Russia and the traditional friendship between the two peoples through the lens. They expressed the Chinese peoples admiration of Russian culture， their love for nature and good wishes to the Russian people through the paintbrush.

The exhibition Qian Xuesen： Founder of Chinas Space Industry in Russia introduced to the Russian people the great life of Qian， who was awarded the “Two Bombs and One Satellite” Meritorious Service Medal. He is known as the father of Chinas space industry and of Chinese missiles. The exhibition also highlighted his outstanding contributions to the promotion of China-Russia scientific and technological exchanges.

The photo exhibition In the Face of Disasters illustrated the Chinese peoples national spirit of unity， cooperation and self-improvement in the face of an intense， devastating earthquake， and eulogized the international humanitarian spirit represented by the Russian rescue team through vivid and detailed photography.

Over the past 20 years， various kinds of seminars and thematic exchanges have been held to commemorate historical and cultural celebrities， social activists， outstanding friends and major events in the history of ChinaRussia relations， reviewing the history of friendship， exploring potential for cooperation， telling stories of China and Russia in harmony and mutual support and cultivating the peaceful idea of friendship from generation to generation. A series of other activities have also been organized， such as the seminar on China-Russia relations， meetings of senior and junior scientists from the two countries and the Second ChinaRussia Financial Cooperation Forum. In addition， there were commemorations for some old friends from Russia， including Ivan Vasilyevich Arkhipov， honorary chairman of the Russian-China Friendship Association and leader of the Soviet expert group in China during the 1950s； the famous sinologist Sergey Zechvinski； Soviet expert I. V. Strazheva； and Soviet writer Nikolai Alexeevich Ostrovsky， among others.

While not forgetting the old friends， the CPAFFC has made a group of new Russian friends who are influential in various sectors of both countries and actively committed to the cause of Russia-China friendship. These include Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov， president of the Republic of Tatarstan； Alexander Dmitryevich Beglov， former first deputy to the presidential plenipotentiary envoy in the Northwest Federal District and current governor of St. Petersburg； Oleg Kozhemyako， governor of Primorsky Krai； Dmitry Mezentsev， former governor of Irkutsk and former president of the RCFA； Ivan Arkhipov， chairman of the Russian Arhipov Foundation and grandson of Ivan Vasilyevich Akrhipov； Fedotova Margarita（Rida Liu）， first vice-president of the Russian Asian Federation of Industrial Entrepreneurs and great-granddaughter of Liu Shaoqi； and Zhukov Vasily Ivanovich， former rector of the Russian State Social University.

Effectively promoting subnational cooperation and bringing more benefits to the two peoples

With the support and promotion of the CPAFFC and CRFA， China and Russia have established 96 new pairs of friendship city and friendship province/state relations over the past 20 years， bringing the total to 148 pairs. These have become important channels for subnational exchanges and have played an important role in the complementary advantages and common development of both sides. So far， nearly 30 pairs of China-Russia friendship provinces and cities have won the International Friendship City Exchange and Cooperation Award established by the CPAFFC for outstanding cooperative achievements. Primorsky Krai， Amur Oblast， Moscow and Blagoveshchensk have won prizes multiple times.

The CPAFFC and CRFA have actively built new platforms， tapped potentials and made positive progress in subnational exchanges and cooperation. They have held 12 sessions of the China-Russia Regional Cooperation Seminar， three sessions of the ChinaRussia Friendship Cities Conference and promotion activities for the Siberian Federal District， the Northwest Federal District and the Saha （Yakut） Republic of the Far East Federal District， to inject new momentum into local cooperation between the two countries.

In September 2018， Presidents Xi and Putin attended and spoke at a dialogue between leaders of Chinese and Russian local regions organized by the CPAFFC. Leaders from nine Chinese provinces and autonomous regions and from 13 Russian regions attended the dialogue.

Actively carrying out youth exchanges and cultivating successors to the cause of China-Russia friendship

Youth are the creators of a bet-ter future for China-Russia relations. It is a duty-bound historical mission to strengthen youth exchanges. In doing so， friendship can become deeply rooted in young minds and handed down from generation to generation. It is safe to say that what has been accomplished in the contemporary era will benefit future generations.

Over the past 20 years， the CPAFFC and CRFA have cooperated with their Russian partners to carry out a number of youth exchange activities， including seven rounds of the ChinaRussia Youth Science， Technology and Cultural Exchange， eight rounds of China-Russia Youth Friendship Night and two rounds of China-Russia Youth Friendship Road， inviting the Russian Youth Art Troupe many times to attend the Tianjin Huaxia International Art Festival， sending youth art troupes from Chinese provinces and cities to Russia for the Open Europe， Open Planet International Art Festival， as well as sending youth delegations to visit each other.

Colorful activities have opened a window for the youth of both countries to know each other and enhance their friendship. Through exchanges and interaction， the youth of the two sides have gained a deeper understanding of the great significance of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. As a result， more Chinese and Russian youths are determined to devote themselves to the cause of friendship.

Fighting COVID-19 with solidarity and writing a new chapter of ChinaRussia friendship

At the critical moment of Chinas fight against COVID-19， the RCFA， the Union of Russian Cities and other Russian friendship-promoting organizations and individuals from all walks of life expressed their condolences and support to the Chinese people through the CPAFFC and the CRFA. When COVID-19 spread in Russia， the CPAFFC and the CRFA produced and released a video titled Come on， Russia！ and a music video hailing ChinaRussia friendship titled The Basic Color of Friendship. In a refreshing and heartwarming way， these videos encouraged friends in Russia who were affected by the pandemic.

In addition， Chinese provinces and cities expressed condolences to Russian localities in various forms. Many provinces and cities extended helping hands to Russia， sent letters of condolence and offered assistance， showing the strong determination of the two peoples to help each other address COVID-19 with solidarity. In a video dialogue with CPAFFC President Lin Songtian， Melinikov Ivan Ivannovich， deputy chairman of the State Duma of Russia and president of the RCFA， acknowledged Chinas achievements in fighting COVID-19 and poverty， and in adopting the Civil Code and Hong Kong-related legislation. He firmly supported Chinas position.

Giving “soft assistance” and “hard

support” to each other in difficult times at the non-governmental level has be- come another good story in the history of China-Russia people-to-people friendship and demonstrates the solid basis of public opinion for the ChinaRussia comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.

Over the past 20 years， the number of Russian partners of the CPAFFC and RCFA has increased from two to 10. Through 20 years of sincere exchanges and mutual support， and with the efforts of friendship organizations of both countries， mutual understanding and amity between the two peoples have been increased and the seeds of peace， friendship and trust have been sown in their hearts.

Today， as we review the idea of peace and friendship and the spirit of the era embodied in the friendship treaty， and as we share the fruits of ChinaRussia people-to-people friendship over the past 20 years， we deeply understand that the influence of the treaty on relations has been comprehensive， multifaceted and of far-reaching significance， with its purposes and principles in line with the fundamental interests of the Chinese and Russian people. As staff members engaged in people-topeople friendship， we will continue to uphold the spirit of the treaty， inherit China-Russia friendship and promote the continuous development of bilateral relations， so that the great cause of China-Russia friendship will be passed on from generation to generation.