China and Russia issued a joint communiqué on Tuesday, pledging further efforts to strengthen strategic coordination and deepen cooperation in various fields.

The communiqué was signed by visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the 13th regular prime ministers' talks between the two countries.

During his visit, Wen also held separate talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Sergei Mironov, and attended the third China-Russia Economic and Trade Summit Forum.

During his meeting with Medvedev, Wen and the Russian president had an in-depth exchange of views on the two countries' strategic coordination and cooperation, as well as major regional and international issues.

The two leaders said that the Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, with enhanced mutual trust and support and broadened cooperation in key areas.

The two sides agreed that it is important and urgent for China and Russia to comprehensively strengthen bilateral relations in the current complicated international situation.

In line with the spirits and principle of the treaty of good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, China and Russia will implement all agreements and consensus reached by the two sides, promote mutual political trust, facilitate pragmatic cooperation and deepen strategic coordination, so as to benefit the two countries and peoples and make greater contributions to world peace and stability.

Wen and Putin noted that the prime ministers' regular talks have played a significant role in boosting pragmatic bilateral cooperation in various fields, saying both countries are willing to continue to better the mechanism and improve its efficiency.

The two sides will make all events of the "national theme year" of China and Russia approved by the two heads of state a regular occurrence, implement the plan for the year of Russian language in2009 in China, and make preparations for the year of Chinese language in 2010 in Russia.

The two countries will make joint efforts to further expand trade and economic cooperation, so as to promote their economic development.

Both sides should give full play to the role of the China-Russia Chamber of Commerce of Machinery and Electronic Products, and take practical measures to increase high-tech products in bilateral trade.

The two sides will, in the principle of equality and mutual benefit, make use of the Sino-Russian investment promotion conference and take measures so as to sign a draft plan of China-Russia investment cooperation at an early date, to create a sound investment environment, effectively protect the legal rights and interests of investors, implement investment projects of mutual interests, and expand cooperation in industrial projects, infrastructure construction and renovation.

They will continue to step up regional cooperation along the border, to further regulate the cross-border trade order, improve the structure of commodities, and upgrading the infrastructure in port cities.

The two sides reaffirmed that energy cooperation is an important part of the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation, and the two nations should deepen energy cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit.

Both sides agreed to support cooperation in oil and gas, including long-term trade of crude oil, the construction of oil pipelines linking Russia and China, the upstream and downstream cooperation in oil fields, natural gas supply and the establishment of natural gas processing and chemical enterprises.

The two sides also agreed to widen and deepen long-term cooperation in space technology to ensure the completion of the 2007-2009 space cooperation program as scheduled.

In the fields of science and technology, China and Russia, by combining their efforts in high priority fields of scientific research, will implement joint projects with great innovative potential and commercial prospects. The two sides will further promote cooperation in nanotechnology, energy, energy saving, ecology and rational utilization of natural resources.

The two sides also agreed to push forward cooperation in transportation and traffic infrastructure, enhance cooperation in such areas as trade and project financing, bank card and export credit insurance, and to further cooperation in the civil aviation sector.

They spoke highly of bilateral cooperation in telecommunication and information and communication technology, and pledged to improve the cooperative mechanism in anti-monopoly, supervision of advertisement law and anti-unfair competition, and to expand and deepen cooperation in information exchange in the border area.

Both sides will continue to expand cooperation in disaster relief and strengthen relevant exchange in science and technology and information.

The two sides are willing to boost cooperation in environmental protection and reasonable utilization and protection of cross-border water.

They agreed to continue to organize and hold activities of cultural exchanges between the youths of China and Russia, including an art festival, summer or winter camps and language competitions.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the successful Russian cultural festival in China this year and support for the Chinese cultural festival in Russia in 2009, which they said will be an important event marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The two sides will encourage their libraries, museums and theaters to set up direct contacts and develop cooperation.

Both countries will also continue to deepen cooperation in health-care services, especially in such fields as prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, rest cure and medicine supervision.

They will facilitate sports exchanges and cooperation, agreeing to hold the 3rd China-Russia youth games in 2009.

The two sides will comprehensively implement bilateral accords and programs in tourism, and improve the mechanism and expand cooperation in such fields as media, movie production and file management.

They agreed to hold the 14th regular prime ministers' talks in China next year on a date to be decided through diplomatic discussions.

During the 13th prime ministers' regular talks, the two countries signed a number of documents, including several agreements on cooperation in such fields as energy, banking and high technology.

Wen arrived here Monday for a three-day official visit to Russia aimed at strengthening China's strategic partnership with the country.

Russia is the first leg of Wen's two-nation tour, which will also take him to Kazakhstan.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2008)