CRFA President Chen Yuan Leads Delegation to Visit Russia

The year 2014 marked the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Russia as well as establishment of the China-Russia Friendship Association (CRFA). The successful meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in May of the year elevated the China-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new stage of development and set key areas and directions for expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation. The just concluded visit to Russia in October by Premier Li Keqiang， the first since assuming office， also achieved rich fruits. The two countries have important opportunities to expand cooperation in all fields.

Against this background， Chen Yuan， Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and recently elected CRFA President， accepted an invitation from the Russia-China Friendship Association (RCFA) to make a goodwill visit to Russia from October 18 to 23.

He met Elvira Nabiullina， Governor of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation， Vladimir Dmitriev， Chairman of the Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)， and Ildar Khalikov， Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan; with RCFA President Mikhail Titarenko， he signed the annual plan of cooperation for 2015.

He also attended and addressed the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the PRC， establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Russia and establishment of the CRFA jointly sponsored by the RCFA， the Russia-China Committee of Friendship， Peace and Development (21st Century Committee)， the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States， Compatriots Living Abroad， and International Cultural Cooperation and the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences， as well as a welcoming reception held by the representatives of the Chinese and Russian business circles. The Chinese delegation also visited Kazan State University.

Meeting with RCFA President Titarenko， Chen said he was very happy to pay his first visit to Russia and participate in the various celebration activities in his capacity as CRFA President. The Chinese entrepreneurs’ delegation he headed had come to join with the RCFA to look into the prospects for future development of China-Russia friendship in the next 65 years and continue to expand bilateral people-to-people exchanges.

“China and Russia are traditional friendly neighbors. The Chinese nation will never forget Soviet Union’s assistance in the early years of New China.” The CRFA would work actively to publicize the 156 Soviet-aided large industrial projects and protect these sites as a way to commemorate the important contributions made by the Soviet Union to China’s effort to establish an industrial foundation， and further enhance friendship between the two peoples.

Titarenko emphasized that Chen Yuan and the CRFA had played an irreplaceable role in consolidating the friendship between the two countries， to which friendly personages of various circles in Russia expressed their respect and gratitude.

“China， through 65 years of independent development， has emerged as an economic power in the world， and we express our admiration and respect.” The successful implementation of the 156 Soviet-aided projects indeed offered a good historical experience for the development of the current Russia-China relations， further enhanced by the sincere assistance China had offered his country at times of difficulty.

He hoped the two sides would conduct practical cooperation in various fields through multiple channels so as to realize national rejuvenation. For this， the RCFA would actively participate in China’s Silk Road economic development initiative. At the same time， he sincerely wished the Chinese people under the leadership of President Xi Jinping would realize their great dream of national prosperity at an early date.

Chen Yuan’s visit to Russia was an important people-to-people diplomatic activity at a time when Sino-Russian relations entered a new stage. It has played a positive role in further consolidating the social and public opinion foundations for bilateral relations and turning high-level political relations into substantial practical cooperation.