On this day, 27 years ago, November 23, 1998 (October 5, 1998 in the lunar calendar), President Jiang and President Yeltsin held an informal meeting. On November 23, President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin held the first informal meeting between the two heads of state in Moscow. (The meeting achieved positive and important results, and the leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to issue two joint statements on the results of the meeting and the Sino-Russian border issue.) On the morning of November 23, 1998, President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin held the first informal meeting between the two heads of state in Moscow (the meeting was held at the Central Outpatient Hospital of Moscow because President Yeltsin suddenly contracted pneumonia and was hospitalized). The two sides exchanged views extensively on China-Russia relations and issues of common concern in a cordial, friendly and unfettered atmosphere. The meeting achieved positive and important results. President Yeltsin warmly welcomed President Jiang's visit to Russia and expressed his great pleasure at achieving the first "tight-free" meeting between the two heads of state. Jiang Zemin said: In April 1996, we jointly initiated the establishment of the China-Russia Strategic Partnership of Coordination. For more than two years, bilateral relations have been developing healthily and stably along this track and are making a smooth transition to the new century. We are satisfied with this. The two sides unanimously agreed to continue to play the role of such mechanisms as mutual visits of heads of state, meetings of prime ministers and cooperation committees in order to push forward bilateral cooperation in all fields into the new century. President Jiang invited President Yeltsin to visit China next year for the second informal summit between the two heads of state. Yeltsin accepted the invitation with pleasure. premier zhu rongji will pay an official visit to russia next spring to further promote bilateral cooperation in the economic, trade, scientific, technological, and other fields. In addition, the two countries will further strengthen people-to-people exchanges. In this regard, the China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee jointly initiated by the leaders of the two countries can play a bridge role. Regarding the border issue between the two countries, Jiang Zemin said that the demarcated boundary between the two countries in the east and west sections was marked on the spot for the first time. This is a historic contribution to the good-neighborly and friendly relations between the two countries. At the same time, we reached an agreement on border disarmament and confidence-building measures, jointly creating a new border security model on the Asian continent, which is conducive to regional peace and stability. He expressed appreciation for President Yeltsin's contribution to this end. President Yeltsin spoke highly of the significant results achieved by the two countries in resolving the border issue. He said that the efforts made by both sides are conducive to building a long-term peaceful and stable border. This new border security model between China and Russia is unique in the world. Regarding the Taiwan issue, Jiang Zemin said that we will issue a joint press communiqué after this meeting. In the communiqué, Russia further clarified its position on the Taiwan issue, that is, it does not support "two China" or "one China, one Taiwan," does not support Taiwan's independence, does not support Taiwan's accession to the United Nations and other international organizations composed of sovereign states, and does not sell weapons to Taiwan. He said,"I highly appreciate the support of Your Excellency the President and the Russian government for the cause of China's reunification. China also firmly supports Russia's national unity and territorial integrity." President Yeltsin said that Russia will always adhere to the China stance and will not deviate from it. Russia and Taiwan have only unofficial economic and cultural ties. The two sides also exchanged views on issues of common concern. The leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to issue two joint statements and joint press communiqués on the outcome of the meeting and the China-Russia border issue. Relevant information: China-Russia Relations at the Turn of the Century (Joint Statement on the Results of the China-Russia High-Level Meeting) During the Sixth China-Russia High-Level Meeting held in Moscow by President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China and President Yeltsin The Russian Federation, the two sides coordinated their positions on the basic trends in the development of the international community at the turn of the century and reached consensus on the long-term strategic prospects for further strengthening bilateral cooperation. In this century, mankind has made great achievements in spiritual and material civilization and scientific and technological development, but at the same time turmoil and conflicts have also caused unprecedented disasters to mankind. The two heads of state believe that in view of historical lessons, it is important to promote the international community to reach a consensus so that peace and comprehensive and coordinated development become the main principles that mankind should follow in the new century. Only through the joint efforts and collective creativity of all countries in the world can we establish a new international economic and political order, truly ensure social stability in all countries, and safeguard the interests of people of all countries fairly and reasonably. To this end, the two heads of state pointed out that in April 1996, China and Russia established a strategic cooperative partnership of equality and trust and oriented to the 21st century based not only on profound thinking on the history of bilateral relations and the reality of today's world, but also on the development of the international situation and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries. Consensus reached. The establishment of a strategic cooperative relationship between China and Russia is not an alliance or directed against any third country. Instead, it abandons confrontation in the mutual relations between the two countries and creates conditions for the broadest equal and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides in various fields. The two heads of state agreed that the China-Russia partnership should be continuously strengthened and enriched on the basis of the following important principles: 1. A constructive multipolarization process in international relations will help establish a balanced, stable, democratic and non-confrontational new order. This trend is objectively in the fundamental interests of all countries. 2. The richness and diversity of today's world and the coexistence and complementarity of multiple cultures are one of the main driving forces for the continuous development of mankind. Recognizing and respecting the diversity of world civilizations is a necessary condition and objective requirement for establishing a new international economic and political order. Differences in historical, cultural, economic and social and political systems should not become the source or reason for conflict or mutual alienation, but should become the driving force for mutual gain and mutual improvement. The 21st century should not and cannot become a single European and American century or Asia-Pacific century, nor should it be dominated by a certain religious or ideological value system. The 21st century should and can be an era in which civilizations and traditions of all countries and regions are inclusive and prosperous together. China and Russia will adhere to the above attitude in their mutual relations and exchanges with other countries, and make their own contributions to establishing this trend. 3. At the turn of the century, globalization and regionalization of the world economy are becoming important factors determining the state of the world economy. China and Russia support and actively participate in this process. At the same time, the economic interdependence of countries has developed to a stage where protecting the economic security of sovereign countries must be listed as the most urgent issue. Therefore, it is particularly important to abide by the principles of equality, mutual benefit and regional openness in economic and trade relations, eliminate all forms of discrimination in international trade, and abandon the use of monetary and financial levers to impose political and economic conditions that are detrimental to the legitimate national interests of a country. attempt. The lessons of financial crises in a series of regions and countries have proved that we should support each other and work together in difficult times, rather than taking advantage of the opportunity to seek personal gain. 4. The United Nations plays a central role in international affairs. Action through the United Nations can more fully and clearly reflect the growing potential for multipolarity in the world, and gradually exclude unilateral or narrow nationalist acts in the handling of international affairs. Therefore, the policy of supporting and comprehensively strengthening the United Nations is an important part of China-Russia diplomatic strategy. Carry out serious and reasonable reform of the United Nations so that it retains all operating mechanisms that have been proven to be effective in practice, while at the same time further improving work efficiency and fully considering the reality of the world, this will help strengthen the prestige and role of the United Nations in the world. Improving the work of the Security Council occupies a special place in the process of United Nations reform. Under no circumstances should the Security Council's primary responsibility for maintaining world peace and security entrusted by the United Nations Charter be doubted. Any attempt to bypass the Security Council will lead to damage to existing peacekeeping mechanisms and chaos in international affairs, creating the fact that power overrides international law. The idea of expanding the Security Council should be based on strict compliance with the principle of fair geographical distribution and broad consent. Ideally, it should be based on consensus among all United Nations member states. 5. The significant improvement in relations between major powers after the Cold War, especially in recent years, has become an important positive factor in the development of the international situation. In order to establish a new international economic and political order, it is necessary not only to maintain and strengthen this trend, but also to create conditions so that major powers do not expand existing or establish new military and political alliances, engage in confrontation or various forms of mutual containment, and abandon the intention of dividing up the sphere of influence in various regions. As long as all major countries in the world today follow the spirit of partnership and cooperation, there will be no principled issues between them that cannot be resolved through equal dialogue. 6. The two heads of state advocated the continuation of the nuclear disarmament process, emphasized the importance of maintaining and consolidating the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Missile Defense Systems in this process, and believed that this treaty was and remains one of the cornerstones for maintaining world strategic stability. 7. Revitalizing the economies of developing countries and strengthening their constructive role in international affairs are crucial to promoting peace and prosperity of mankind. China and Russia reiterated their willingness to strengthen cooperation with developing countries and called on developed countries to more actively promote the continuous progress of Asian, African and Latin American countries. 8. On the tortuous road to establishing a fair and reliable international order, a series of severe challenges need to be overcome that may undermine this process. To this end, China and Russia believe that it is necessary to elaborate on their principled positions on some of the most acute conflicts whose escalation may pose a real threat to the international community. The situation in Kosovo remains a cause for concern. The top priority is to persist in seeking a political solution to this problem. Any means of force can only intensify regional confrontation. Only on the basis of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, abiding by the United Nations Charter and recognized norms of international law, and respecting the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups in the Kosovo region can a mutually acceptable solution be found. Regarding the situation in South Asia, China and Russia reiterated their positions confirmed within the framework of the United Nations and in other multilateral meetings, emphasizing that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty are of great significance to global efforts for nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. China and Russia call on all countries that have not yet done so to accede to these two treaties immediately and unconditionally. At the same time, the two countries welcome the resumption of political dialogue among South Asian countries and hope that the dialogue can promote the resolution of outstanding issues and maintain and enhance regional security and stability. The Afghan crisis cannot be resolved by force. In this disaster-stricken country, the only path to peace is the formation of a representative government that can fully consider the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups, religions and political groups in Afghan society. It is the responsibility of the United Nations and all countries that want stability in Afghanistan to urge all parties to the conflict to end military action, start a negotiation process and seek political solutions to existing problems. The resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue is of great significance to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region. Continued dialogue between the north and the south in any form acceptable to each other will help resolve this issue. Under the framework of the ASEAN Regional Forum, strengthening dialogue, trust and cooperation is conducive to promoting peace, stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region. 9. Improving the existing dialogue mechanism at all levels, especially the highest level, is of special significance to the development of China-Russia strategic cooperative relations. To this end, the two heads of state will make full use of the "hotline" and exchange of letters to exchange views on major issues. The two heads of state agreed that the seventh China-Russia summit will be held in China in 1999. The two sides will take joint measures to improve the effectiveness of the mechanism for regular meetings between the heads of government of the two countries. The two prime ministers will hold their fourth regular meeting in Moscow in the spring of 1999. Both sides will conscientiously make various preparations for the meeting to achieve positive results. To this end, the two sides will conscientiously implement the economic and trade cooperation agreements already reached, strive to diversify economic and trade cooperation, adopt new forms of cooperation, and act in accordance with international common practices. Priority will be given to large and medium-sized projects to activate local economic exchanges between China and Russia. The two countries will continue to work hard to strengthen consultations and coordinate positions on urgent international issues. (The meeting achieved positive and important results, and the leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to issue two joint statements on the outcome of the meeting and the China-Russia border issue.) The functional departments of the two countries will continue to jointly crack down on all forms of organized illegal activities, including illegal trafficking in drugs and narcotics, smuggling and illegal immigration. Efforts will be stepped up to curb national separatism and religious extremism. The two countries will effectively implement the two agreements on strengthening trust in the military field and reducing military forces in border areas, and will continue to conduct in-depth consultations on all aspects of security at the top level. Both sides believe that the five-nation meeting in Almaty on July 3, 1998 and its statement have opened up good prospects for strengthening security and cooperation in Central Asia. The two countries attach great importance to expanding and standardizing people-to-people contacts and exchanges between the two sides, and are willing to work hard to enhance understanding of each other's history, culture, traditional habits and reality. Support and encourage social groups and news media in both countries to carry out activities to build a true and friendly image of China and Russia. The China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee has the responsibility to play a greater role in this regard. The heads of state of People's Republic of China and The Russian Federation solemnly declared at the turn of the century that the two countries will be loyal to the beliefs of peace, justice and cooperation and strive to act in accordance with this belief so that the 21st century can establish real material, political, legal and other guarantees, build a world order that avoids war, oppression, destruction, and violence, and create conditions for the all-round development of mankind. Joint Statement on the Sino-Russian Border Issue After an informal meeting between China President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin held on the 23rd, they issued a joint statement on the Sino-Russian border issue. The full text of the joint statement is as follows: The heads of state of China and Russia pointed out with satisfaction that the field operations of the demarcation of the western section of the Sino-Russian border in accordance with the Agreement on the Western Section of the Sino-Russian Border signed on September 3, 1994 have ended. At this point, the demarcated boundaries of the east and west sections of the China-Russia border have been accurately marked on the ground for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries. Both parties will complete all demarcation work within the agreed time limit. Both sides agreed that the smooth resolution of the Sino-Russian boundary demarcation issue on the basis of equal consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation will help maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, help the further development of good-neighborly and friendly relations between China and Russia, and is also an important contribution to consolidating regional security and stability. The two sides agreed to continue to negotiate on the direction of the boundary line in individual areas that have not yet been reached based on the treaty on the current border between the two countries, in accordance with recognized norms of international law, and in the spirit of equal consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, in order to seek a fair and reasonable solution.On this day, 27 years ago, November 23, 1998 (October 5, 1998 in the lunar calendar), President Jiang and President Yeltsin held an informal meeting. On November 23, President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin held the first informal meeting between the two heads of state in Moscow. (The meeting achieved positive and important results, and the leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to issue two joint statements on the results of the meeting and the Sino-Russian border issue.) On the morning of November 23, 1998, President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin held the first informal meeting between the two heads of state in Moscow (the meeting was held at the Central Outpatient Hospital of Moscow because President Yeltsin suddenly contracted pneumonia and was hospitalized). The two sides exchanged views extensively on China-Russia relations and issues of common concern in a cordial, friendly and unfettered atmosphere. The meeting achieved positive and important results. President Yeltsin warmly welcomed President Jiang's visit to Russia and expressed his great pleasure at achieving the first "tight-free" meeting between the two heads of state. Jiang Zemin said: In April 1996, we jointly initiated the establishment of the China-Russia Strategic Partnership of Coordination. For more than two years, bilateral relations have been developing healthily and stably along this track and are making a smooth transition to the new century. We are satisfied with this. The two sides unanimously agreed to continue to play the role of such mechanisms as mutual visits of heads of state, meetings of prime ministers and cooperation committees in order to push forward bilateral cooperation in all fields into the new century. President Jiang invited President Yeltsin to visit China next year for the second informal summit between the two heads of state. Yeltsin accepted the invitation with pleasure. premier zhu rongji will pay an official visit to russia next spring to further promote bilateral cooperation in the economic, trade, scientific, technological, and other fields. In addition, the two countries will further strengthen people-to-people exchanges. In this regard, the China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee jointly initiated by the leaders of the two countries can play a bridge role. Regarding the border issue between the two countries, Jiang Zemin said that the demarcated boundary between the two countries in the east and west sections was marked on the spot for the first time. This is a historic contribution to the good-neighborly and friendly relations between the two countries. At the same time, we reached an agreement on border disarmament and confidence-building measures, jointly creating a new border security model on the Asian continent, which is conducive to regional peace and stability. He expressed appreciation for President Yeltsin's contribution to this end. President Yeltsin spoke highly of the significant results achieved by the two countries in resolving the border issue. He said that the efforts made by both sides are conducive to building a long-term peaceful and stable border. This new border security model between China and Russia is unique in the world. Regarding the Taiwan issue, Jiang Zemin said that we will issue a joint press communiqué after this meeting. In the communiqué, Russia further clarified its position on the Taiwan issue, that is, it does not support "two China" or "one China, one Taiwan," does not support Taiwan's independence, does not support Taiwan's accession to the United Nations and other international organizations composed of sovereign states, and does not sell weapons to Taiwan. He said,"I highly appreciate the support of Your Excellency the President and the Russian government for the cause of China's reunification. China also firmly supports Russia's national unity and territorial integrity." President Yeltsin said that Russia will always adhere to the China stance and will not deviate from it. Russia and Taiwan have only unofficial economic and cultural ties. The two sides also exchanged views on issues of common concern. The leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to issue two joint statements and joint press communiqués on the outcome of the meeting and the China-Russia border issue. Relevant information: China-Russia Relations at the Turn of the Century (Joint Statement on the Results of the China-Russia High-Level Meeting) During the Sixth China-Russia High-Level Meeting held in Moscow by President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China and President Yeltsin The Russian Federation, the two sides coordinated their positions on the basic trends in the development of the international community at the turn of the century and reached consensus on the long-term strategic prospects for further strengthening bilateral cooperation. In this century, mankind has made great achievements in spiritual and material civilization and scientific and technological development, but at the same time turmoil and conflicts have also caused unprecedented disasters to mankind. The two heads of state believe that in view of historical lessons, it is important to promote the international community to reach a consensus so that peace and comprehensive and coordinated development become the main principles that mankind should follow in the new century. Only through the joint efforts and collective creativity of all countries in the world can we establish a new international economic and political order, truly ensure social stability in all countries, and safeguard the interests of people of all countries fairly and reasonably. To this end, the two heads of state pointed out that in April 1996, China and Russia established a strategic cooperative partnership of equality and trust and oriented to the 21st century based not only on profound thinking on the history of bilateral relations and the reality of today's world, but also on the development of the international situation and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries. Consensus reached. The establishment of a strategic cooperative relationship between China and Russia is not an alliance or directed against any third country. Instead, it abandons confrontation in the mutual relations between the two countries and creates conditions for the broadest equal and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides in various fields. The two heads of state agreed that the China-Russia partnership should be continuously strengthened and enriched on the basis of the following important principles: 1. A constructive multipolarization process in international relations will help establish a balanced, stable, democratic and non-confrontational new order. This trend is objectively in the fundamental interests of all countries. 2. The richness and diversity of today's world and the coexistence and complementarity of multiple cultures are one of the main driving forces for the continuous development of mankind. Recognizing and respecting the diversity of world civilizations is a necessary condition and objective requirement for establishing a new international economic and political order. Differences in historical, cultural, economic and social and political systems should not become the source or reason for conflict or mutual alienation, but should become the driving force for mutual gain and mutual improvement. The 21st century should not and cannot become a single European and American century or Asia-Pacific century, nor should it be dominated by a certain religious or ideological value system. The 21st century should and can be an era in which civilizations and traditions of all countries and regions are inclusive and prosperous together. China and Russia will adhere to the above attitude in their mutual relations and exchanges with other countries, and make their own contributions to establishing this trend. 3. At the turn of the century, globalization and regionalization of the world economy are becoming important factors determining the state of the world economy. China and Russia support and actively participate in this process. At the same time, the economic interdependence of countries has developed to a stage where protecting the economic security of sovereign countries must be listed as the most urgent issue. Therefore, it is particularly important to abide by the principles of equality, mutual benefit and regional openness in economic and trade relations, eliminate all forms of discrimination in international trade, and abandon the use of monetary and financial levers to impose political and economic conditions that are detrimental to the legitimate national interests of a country. attempt. The lessons of financial crises in a series of regions and countries have proved that we should support each other and work together in difficult times, rather than taking advantage of the opportunity to seek personal gain. 4. The United Nations plays a central role in international affairs. Action through the United Nations can more fully and clearly reflect the growing potential for multipolarity in the world, and gradually exclude unilateral or narrow nationalist acts in the handling of international affairs. Therefore, the policy of supporting and comprehensively strengthening the United Nations is an important part of China-Russia diplomatic strategy. Carry out serious and reasonable reform of the United Nations so that it retains all operating mechanisms that have been proven to be effective in practice, while at the same time further improving work efficiency and fully considering the reality of the world, this will help strengthen the prestige and role of the United Nations in the world. Improving the work of the Security Council occupies a special place in the process of United Nations reform. Under no circumstances should the Security Council's primary responsibility for maintaining world peace and security entrusted by the United Nations Charter be doubted. Any attempt to bypass the Security Council will lead to damage to existing peacekeeping mechanisms and chaos in international affairs, creating the fact that power overrides international law. The idea of expanding the Security Council should be based on strict compliance with the principle of fair geographical distribution and broad consent. Ideally, it should be based on consensus among all United Nations member states. 5. The significant improvement in relations between major powers after the Cold War, especially in recent years, has become an important positive factor in the development of the international situation. In order to establish a new international economic and political order, it is necessary not only to maintain and strengthen this trend, but also to create conditions so that major powers do not expand existing or establish new military and political alliances, engage in confrontation or various forms of mutual containment, and abandon the intention of dividing up the sphere of influence in various regions. As long as all major countries in the world today follow the spirit of partnership and cooperation, there will be no principled issues between them that cannot be resolved through equal dialogue. 6. The two heads of state advocated the continuation of the nuclear disarmament process, emphasized the importance of maintaining and consolidating the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Missile Defense Systems in this process, and believed that this treaty was and remains one of the cornerstones for maintaining world strategic stability. 7. Revitalizing the economies of developing countries and strengthening their constructive role in international affairs are crucial to promoting peace and prosperity of mankind. China and Russia reiterated their willingness to strengthen cooperation with developing countries and called on developed countries to more actively promote the continuous progress of Asian, African and Latin American countries. 8. On the tortuous road to establishing a fair and reliable international order, a series of severe challenges need to be overcome that may undermine this process. To this end, China and Russia believe that it is necessary to elaborate on their principled positions on some of the most acute conflicts whose escalation may pose a real threat to the international community. The situation in Kosovo remains a cause for concern. The top priority is to persist in seeking a political solution to this problem. Any means of force can only intensify regional confrontation. Only on the basis of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, abiding by the United Nations Charter and recognized norms of international law, and respecting the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups in the Kosovo region can a mutually acceptable solution be found. Regarding the situation in South Asia, China and Russia reiterated their positions confirmed within the framework of the United Nations and in other multilateral meetings, emphasizing that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty are of great significance to global efforts for nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. China and Russia call on all countries that have not yet done so to accede to these two treaties immediately and unconditionally. At the same time, the two countries welcome the resumption of political dialogue among South Asian countries and hope that the dialogue can promote the resolution of outstanding issues and maintain and enhance regional security and stability. The Afghan crisis cannot be resolved by force. In this disaster-stricken country, the only path to peace is the formation of a representative government that can fully consider the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups, religions and political groups in Afghan society. It is the responsibility of the United Nations and all countries that want stability in Afghanistan to urge all parties to the conflict to end military action, start a negotiation process and seek political solutions to existing problems. The resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue is of great significance to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region. Continued dialogue between the north and the south in any form acceptable to each other will help resolve this issue. Under the framework of the ASEAN Regional Forum, strengthening dialogue, trust and cooperation is conducive to promoting peace, stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region. 9. Improving the existing dialogue mechanism at all levels, especially the highest level, is of special significance to the development of China-Russia strategic cooperative relations. To this end, the two heads of state will make full use of the "hotline" and exchange of letters to exchange views on major issues. The two heads of state agreed that the seventh China-Russia summit will be held in China in 1999. The two sides will take joint measures to improve the effectiveness of the mechanism for regular meetings between the heads of government of the two countries. The two prime ministers will hold their fourth regular meeting in Moscow in the spring of 1999. Both sides will conscientiously make various preparations for the meeting to achieve positive results. To this end, the two sides will conscientiously implement the economic and trade cooperation agreements already reached, strive to diversify economic and trade cooperation, adopt new forms of cooperation, and act in accordance with international common practices. Priority will be given to large and medium-sized projects to activate local economic exchanges between China and Russia. The two countries will continue to work hard to strengthen consultations and coordinate positions on urgent international issues. (The meeting achieved positive and important results, and the leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to issue two joint statements on the outcome of the meeting and the China-Russia border issue.) The functional departments of the two countries will continue to jointly crack down on all forms of organized illegal activities, including illegal trafficking in drugs and narcotics, smuggling and illegal immigration. Efforts will be stepped up to curb national separatism and religious extremism. The two countries will effectively implement the two agreements on strengthening trust in the military field and reducing military forces in border areas, and will continue to conduct in-depth consultations on all aspects of security at the top level. Both sides believe that the five-nation meeting in Almaty on July 3, 1998 and its statement have opened up good prospects for strengthening security and cooperation in Central Asia. The two countries attach great importance to expanding and standardizing people-to-people contacts and exchanges between the two sides, and are willing to work hard to enhance understanding of each other's history, culture, traditional habits and reality. Support and encourage social groups and news media in both countries to carry out activities to build a true and friendly image of China and Russia. The China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee has the responsibility to play a greater role in this regard. The heads of state of People's Republic of China and The Russian Federation solemnly declared at the turn of the century that the two countries will be loyal to the beliefs of peace, justice and cooperation and strive to act in accordance with this belief so that the 21st century can establish real material, political, legal and other guarantees, build a world order that avoids war, oppression, destruction, and violence, and create conditions for the all-round development of mankind. Joint Statement on the Sino-Russian Border Issue After an informal meeting between China President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Yeltsin held on the 23rd, they issued a joint statement on the Sino-Russian border issue. The full text of the joint statement is as follows: The heads of state of China and Russia pointed out with satisfaction that the field operations of the demarcation of the western section of the Sino-Russian border in accordance with the Agreement on the Western Section of the Sino-Russian Border signed on September 3, 1994 have ended. At this point, the demarcated boundaries of the east and west sections of the China-Russia border have been accurately marked on the ground for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries. Both parties will complete all demarcation work within the agreed time limit. Both sides agreed that the smooth resolution of the Sino-Russian boundary demarcation issue on the basis of equal consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation will help maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, help the further development of good-neighborly and friendly relations between China and Russia, and is also an important contribution to consolidating regional security and stability. The two sides agreed to continue to negotiate on the direction of the boundary line in individual areas that have not yet been reached based on the treaty on the current border between the two countries, in accordance with recognized norms of international law, and in the spirit of equal consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, in order to seek a fair and reasonable solution.