On the night of May 27, 2003, Chinese President Hu Jintao and his wife, Liu Yongqing, attended a grand banquet in the Kremlin hosted by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and his wife. In his speech at the banquet, Putin spoke highly of the good-neighborly relations of friendship and cooperation between Russia and China. Russia-China relations have become an important factor for peace and stability in Eurasia and the two sides will work together and contribute to the establishment of a more secure and just world.

For his part, Hu said that both China and Russia are great nations in the world. The good wishes of the two peoples for friendship from generation to generation and common development closely connect us. China will work with Russia to inherit the past, usher in the future and be unswervingly devoted to strengthening and developing the Sino-Russian strategic and cooperative partnership.