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The Heads of State of China and Russia Sign a Joint Statement on Major International Issues

2008/05/24

Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev after signing the Sino-Russian joint statement on major international issues On May 23, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a joint statement outlining their positions on major international issues in Beijing. The statement said the world is now undergoing great changes. Seeking peace, development and cooperation has become the demand of the times with the irreversible trend of world multilateralism, deepening economic globalization, accelerating scientific and technical advance and continuously growing global and regional cooperation. Meanwhile, unilateralism and power politics are still existing and local conflicts caused by ethnic and religious contradictions are emerging one after another with intensifying global economic imbalance and continuously emerging new threats and challenges. The statement said in light of this, all countries of the world should join hands to effectively cope with common threats and challenges and build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity. They should observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strictly follow the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual commitment to non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence, as well as international law and other universally acknowledged norms of international relations. All countries in the world should abandon the "Cold War mentality" and clique politics and carry forward the equal, democratic and cooperative spirit. The statement said both sides support the leading role of the United Nations in international affairs. The UN has an irreplaceable role to play in safeguarding world peace, promoting cooperation among countries and pushing forward common development. Both sides agree to the necessary and reasonable reform of the UN to enhance its authority and improve its efficiency and capability for new threats and challenges. The reform should be based on the principle of gradual progress and reaching consensus through consultation.