On July 16, 2001 (May 26, 2001 in the lunar calendar), China and Russia signed the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation. On July 16, 2001, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation in Moscow. The Treaty consists of 25 articles and is valid for 20 years. The treaty summarizes the most important guidelines and principles for the development of Sino-Russian relations, and confirms in legal form the peaceful ideology of "friendship for generations and never being enemies" between the two countries and the firm will to be good neighbors, good friends and good partners forever. The treaty stipulates the principles and directions of future cooperation between the two countries in politics, economy, trade, science and technology, culture and international affairs. President Jiang Zemin and President Putin also signed the "Moscow Joint Statement of the Heads of State of China and Russia". After the signing ceremony, Jiang Zemin and Putin jointly met with reporters and answered questions from reporters. Putin said that the "Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation" signed by President Jiang Zemin has laid a solid legal foundation for the development of a constructive strategic partnership of equality and mutual trust between Russia and China. Jiang Zemin said: The signing of the "China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation" is the most important achievement of my visit to Russia. The treaty summarizes the main principles and spirit of a series of declarations and statements issued by the heads of state of China and Russia in the past 10 years. On the basis of summing up historical experience, it has fixed the peace ideology of "friendship for generations and never being enemies" between the two countries and the two peoples in legal form. It expresses the firm will and determination of the two sides to be good neighbors, good partners and good friends forever, and demonstrates the theme of the two peoples' desire for peace, friendship and cooperation. He said that the treaty is oriented towards the new century and the next generation. It has made an overall plan for the development of China-Russia relations in the new century and is a programmatic document guiding the development of bilateral relations in the 21st century. The treaty is based on non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third countries. It completely abandons the old model of state-to-state relations, which is either alliance or confrontation. This is in line with the requirements of the times and the objective trend of the development of the international situation, and provides an example for the international community to establish a new type of state-to-state relations. In short, the signing of such a treaty between China and Russia is a great cause that will benefit the present generation and will surely benefit future generations. Earlier in the day, President Jiang Zemin laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow and attended the welcome ceremony held by President Putin for his visit to Russia.