On April 23, former Russian President Boris Yeltsin passed away in Moscow following heart failure. The first Russian president, he contributed significantly to promoting the sound and steady development of bilateral relations between China and Russia, and was one of the advocators and founders of the China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership. The Chinese people have lost a close friend.

Yeltsin pushed forward friendly ties with China. During his term as president, he paid close attention to relations with China and visited the country four times, working with Chinese leaders, pushing the ties to new heights.

In December 1992, during Yeltsin's first China tour, China and Russia formally announced their "regard for each other as friendly countries", thus opening a new chapter in bilateral, friendly ties. In September 1994, leaders from both countries announced in Moscow that "the two nations have a new constructive partnership", marking the establishment of the China-Russia "constructive partnership" for the 21st century. In April 1996, Yeltsin visited China again, signing a joint statement with his counterpart announcing the building of a "strategic cooperative partnership for the 21st century based on equality and trust". This outlined the features of the relationship--equality and trust, good neighborliness, benefit and cooperation, and common development. As a result, China-Russia ties expanded rapidly, setting an example for handling relations between big and neighboring countries.

Yeltsin promoted overall China-Russia cooperation. In the field of trade and economy, the two countries complemented each other and made breakthroughs in cooperation, especially in some large projects. In April 1997, the China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Commission was set up, which played an important role in deepening the traditional friendship, building understanding and trust between the two peoples (especially between the vast number of young people), and consolidating and expanding the social foundation of the China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership for the 21st century. Cooperation also expanded rapidly in military, security, scientific, technological and cultural fields.

During Yeltsin's administration, China and Russia established a strategic cooperative partnership and settled old border disputes. In 1994, the Agreement on the Western Section of the Boundary between China and Russia was signed, which, along with a previous agreement, determined 98 percent of the alignment of boundary between the two countries. In 2004, the Complementary Protocol between China and Russia on the Alignment of the Eastern Section of the Boundary was signed. Since then,the 4,300-odd kilometers of China-Russia borderline has become a tie of peace and friendship.

Yeltsin also worked hard to develop the "Shanghai Five Countries" institution. This began by solving border disputes, building military trust and promoting good neighborliness. Later, the institution turned to border troop downsizing, regional security and joint crackdowns on the "three forces", and ultimately to cooperation in diplomatic, economic and cultural fields. It evolved into the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)" in 2001 and has become an important international organization safeguarding regional security, stability and promoting prosperity in member states.

Today, the China-Russia strategic partnership is developing both quickly and strongly, and the traditional friendship between the two peoples is showing signs of new life. The China-Russia friendship will continue to benefit both peoples in the long term and contribute significantly to world peace and stability.

By People's Daily Online