Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji told visiting Russian President Boris Yeltsin on December 9 that the strategic partnership of cooperation oriented towards the 21st century between China and Russia scored great achievements thanks to both Chinese President Jiang Zemin and President Yeltsin.

Zhu made the remark during his meeting with Yeltsin in Beijing on December 9.

Under the current international situation, cooperation between China and Russia in all fields is in the fundamental interest of the two countries and has influence for world peace and development, he said. "The Chinese government highly commends the historic contribution made by President Yeltsin to the growth of Sino-Russian friendly and cooperative relationship," he told Yeltsin.

Yeltsin highly praised the economic achievements made by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Chinese government and the unremitting efforts made by the Chinese government for the growth of Russia-China ties. In his view, the most noteworthy characteristics of the Russian-Chinese relationship can be summed up as "trust, friendship, peace and cooperation," as Yeltsin put it.

Yeltsin also said that Russia attaches importance to the fifth meeting between the two heads of government of Russia and China next year, adding that the meeting will definitely promote specific cooperative projects between the two countries in many areas.