PUTIN BELIEVES THAT CHINA HAS CREATIVELY PROMOTED INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO STRENGTHENING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE EURASIAN CONTINENT AND ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. HE ALSO EMPHASIZED THAT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA HAS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. THE INTERVIEW CONTENT IS AS FOLLOWS:REPORTER: YOUR EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT, YOU ATTENDED THE FIRST "THE BELT AND ROAD" INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION SUMMIT FORUM IN 2017. WHAT IMPRESSION DID THAT EXPERIENCE LEAVE ON YOU? IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE "THE BELT AND ROAD" IN THE PAST TWO YEARS? WHAT AREAS STILL NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED? LOOKING AHEAD TO THE UPCOMING SECOND SUMMIT FORUM, WHICH TOPICS ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? CHINA IS CREATIVELY PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND STRIVING TO CONTRIBUTE TO STRENGTHENING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE EURASIAN CONTINENT AND ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. WE CAN ONLY APPRECIATE SUCH WISHES.UNDOUBTEDLY, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR CHINA TO SMOOTHLY ADVANCE THIS GRAND PROJECT. AT THE SAME TIME, ALL COUNTRIES IN EURASIA PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT SHOULD BENEFIT FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF THE "THE BELT AND ROAD", WHICH WILL HELP ENHANCE THEIR ECONOMIC POTENTIAL, IMPROVE THEIR COMPETITIVENESS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THEIR PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THIS PROJECT MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INTERESTS OF ALL PARTNERS AND COORDINATE THEIR RESPECTIVE NATIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS. NOT ONLY SHOULD WE ENGAGE IN TRADE COOPERATION, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO PROMOTE MUTUAL INVESTMENT, IMPLEMENT JOINT PROJECTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION, LOGISTICS TRANSPORTATION, AND ECOLOGICAL FIELDS, STIMULATE INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION, CARRY OUT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGES, AND STRENGTHEN CULTURAL EXCHANGES.RUSSIA HAS ITS OWN VIEWS ON THE PROSPECTS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION. WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH OTHER MEMBER STATES OF THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION TO FIND A COLLABORATIVE MODEL FOR BUILDING THE GREATER EURASIAN PARTNERSHIP. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS TO ESTABLISH A BROAD REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION NETWORK, AND COORDINATE DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF EQUALITY, OPENNESS, MUTUAL RESPECT, AND CONSIDERATION OF EACH OTHER'S INTERESTS. AS A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNER OF RUSSIA, CHINA'S ROLE IN THIS REGARD IS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE. IN ESSENCE, THE CREATION OF THE GREATER EURASIAN PARTNERSHIP IS THE DOCKING OF THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION AND THE THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE.REPORTER: YOU HAVE PROPOSED TO STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE "THE BELT AND ROAD" INITIATIVE AND THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS? WHAT KIND OF EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HAVE?PUTIN: INDEED, IN MAY 2015, PRESIDENT XI JINPING AND I AGREED TO CONNECT THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION WITH THE SILK ROAD ECONOMIC BELT. THIS HISTORIC INITIATIVE HAS RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM LEADERS OF ALL MEMBER STATES OF THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION.SUBSEQUENTLY, ON MAY 17, 2018, THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION AND CHINA OFFICIALLY SIGNED AN ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION AGREEMENT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DOCUMENT COMING INTO EFFECT IN THE COMING MONTHS, AND ALL PARTIES WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN IMPLEMENTING IT.WE SHOULD PROMOTE PRAGMATIC COOPERATION BETWEEN THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC COMMISSION AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, AND LAY A SYSTEMATIC FOUNDATION FOR COOPERATION. FIRST, IT IS NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A JOINT COMMITTEE TO STUDY AND FORMULATE SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR THE DOCKING OF THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION AND THE "THE BELT AND ROAD". WE BELIEVE THAT THE PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION IS PROJECTS IN THE FIELDS OF TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, ECOLOGY, TRADE, FINANCE, AND DIGITAL ECONOMY.I AM GOING TO BEIJING TO ATTEND THE SECOND "THE BELT AND ROAD" INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION SUMMIT FORUM. I BELIEVE THAT THE FORUM WILL BRING NEW AND STRONG DEVELOPMENT IMPETUS TO THE EURASIAN SPACE INTEGRATION PROCESS JOINTLY PROMOTED BY OUR COUNTRIES. HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE SUMMIT BETWEEN THE HEADS OF STATE OF CHINA AND RUSSIA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BILATERAL RELATIONS? I CHERISH THE FRIENDSHIP AND MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN US, WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO OUR BILATERAL COOPERATION IN ALL FIELDS FROM POLITICS, TRADE TO MILITARY TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES.THIS DIALOGUE OF MUTUAL TRUST HELPS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY COORDINATE THE POSITIONS OF RUSSIA AND CHINA ON KEY INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ISSUES, AND JOINTLY FIND WAYS TO ADDRESS THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES OF OUR TIME.PRESIDENT XI JINPING AND I WILL SOON HAVE A ROUTINE MEETING IN BEIJING. WE WILL NOT ONLY EXCHANGE VIEWS AT THE THE BELT AND ROAD FORUM FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, BUT ALSO HOLD TALKS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF BILATERAL MEETINGS BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND CHINESE HEADS OF STATE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO PRESIDENT XI JINPING'S VISIT TO RUSSIA THIS YEAR.REPORTER: THIS YEAR MARKS THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND RUSSIA. HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE CURRENT STATUS AND POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES?PUTIN: IT IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES HAS REACHED A COMMEMORATIVE MOMENT OF THE BEST PERIOD IN HISTORY. THIS IS THE RESULT OF HARD AND SUCCESSFUL WORK OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS. RUSSIA CHINA RELATIONS HAVE BEEN FULLY NORMALIZED AND ELEVATED TO A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP, RESOLVING ALL SENSITIVE ISSUES INCLUDING BORDER ISSUES.THE CONTINUOUS DEEPENING OF COOPERATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA IS NOT DRIVEN BY QUICK SUCCESS OR INSTANT BENEFITS, BUT RATHER HAS A STABLE AND LONG-TERM NATURE. THIS IS FULLY IN LINE WITH THE INTERESTS OF OUR TWO PEOPLES AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF SAFEGUARDING INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL SECURITY AND STABILITY.THE FOUNDATION OF POLITICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA IS MUTUAL TRUST AND RESPECT, ALWAYS CONSIDERING EACH OTHER'S ATTITUDES AND POSITIONS. FROM HIGH-LEVEL EXCHANGES TO EXPERT EXCHANGES, RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ESTABLISHED VARIOUS LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION MECHANISMS. PARLIAMENT, SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND BUSINESS PEOPLE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN JOINT ACTIVITIES.THE COOPERATION IN THE FIELDS OF MILITARY AND MILITARY TECHNOLOGY IS A SIGN OF HIGH MUTUAL TRUST BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA. RUSSIA AND CHINA REGULARLY HOLD JOINT EXERCISES TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE IN MILITARY CONSTRUCTION. COLLABORATION IN THE FIELD OF SECURITY IS ACTIVELY PROMOTED TO JOINTLY COMBAT TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME.THE BILATERAL TRADE VOLUME BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, SURPASSING THE $100 BILLION MARK IN 2018, SETTING A NEW HISTORICAL HIGH. THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN INVESTMENT, FINANCE, ENERGY, AND HIGH-TECH FIELDS IS CONSTANTLY ADVANCING.IMPORTANTLY, THE EXCHANGES BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE FURTHER EXPANDED. THE ONGOING RUSSIA CHINA LOCAL COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE YEAR HAS PROVIDED NEW IMPETUS FOR THIS.WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO CULTURAL EXCHANGES AND HAVE IMPLEMENTED A SERIES OF NATIONAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR. CARRYING OUT PEOPLE'S DIPLOMACY, DIRECT EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLES, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE, PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CONSOLIDATING THE FOUNDATION OF BILATERAL RELATIONS.I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE POTENTIAL OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA IS UNLIMITED. OF COURSE, THE UPCOMING CELEBRATION OF THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WILL PROMOTE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUSSIA CHINA PARTNERSHIP AND DEEPEN FRIENDLY AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL DIALOGUE IN VARIOUS FIELDS.REPORTER: AS TWO MAJOR COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, HOW CAN CHINA AND RUSSIA BETTER PLAY THEIR ROLE IN SOLVING INTERNATIONAL HOT AND DIFFICULT ISSUES AND MAINTAINING A JUST AND REASONABLE INTERNATIONAL ORDER?PUTIN: RUSSIA CHINA RELATIONS ARE A STABILIZING FACTOR IN WORLD AFFAIRS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE CONSISTENT OR VERY CLOSE POSITIONS ON CURRENT KEY ISSUES.UNFORTUNATELY, SOME WESTERN COUNTRIES CLAIM THAT ONLY THEY HOLD A GLOBAL LEADERSHIP POSITION. THEY BRUTALLY TRAMPLE ON THE NORMS AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, OFTEN RESORTING TO INTIMIDATION, SANCTIONS, AND SUPPRESSION, ATTEMPTING TO IMPOSE THEIR OWN VALUES AND QUESTIONABLE IDEOLOGIES ON OTHER COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES.WE FIRMLY OPPOSE THIS PRACTICE. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION AND ESTABLISH A MORE FAIR AND DEMOCRATIC WORLD ORDER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY COORDINATE THE PACE OF RUSSIA AND CHINA ON URGENT GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ISSUES, AND ENGAGE IN EFFECTIVE COOPERATION IN MAJOR MULTILATERAL OCCASIONS SUCH AS THE UNITED NATIONS, THE G20, THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION, BRICS COUNTRIES, AND THE ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION. AT THE SAME TIME, WE WELCOME ALL PARTNERS WHO ABIDE BY THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER AND INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND ARE ALWAYS WILLING TO COOPERATE WITH LIKE-MINDED FRIENDS.REPORTER: CHINA HAS BECOME A TOURIST SOURCE COUNTRY FOR RUSSIA ******. IF YOU WERE TO RECOMMEND PLACES TO CHINESE TOURISTS, BESIDES THE FAMILIAR MOSCOW AND ST. PETERSBURG, WHAT OTHER INTERESTING PLACES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?PUTIN: INDEED, AMONG ALL FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITING RUSSIA, THE NUMBER OF CHINESE TOURISTS IS FAR AHEAD. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF CHINESE TOURISTS HAS ALMOST DOUBLED, INCREASING BY 93%. LAST YEAR ALONE, THE NUMBER OF CHINESE TOURISTS VISITING RUSSIA REACHED 1.7 MILLION. WE ARE HAPPY ABOUT THIS.MOSCOW AND ST. PETERSBURG REMAIN THE MOST POPULAR CITIES FOR CHINESE TOURISTS. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE ALSO EAGER TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER REGIONS OF RUSSIA, INCLUDING THE FAMOUS "GOLDEN RING" IN CENTRAL RUSSIA, THE URALS AND SIBERIA, THE FAR EAST, AND THE CAUCASUS. FOR EXAMPLE, MORE AND MORE CHINESE TOURISTS ARE CHOOSING SOCHI BECAUSE MANY HIGH-QUALITY SPORTS AND VACATION FACILITIES HAVE BEEN BUILT THERE SINCE THE SUCCESSFUL HOSTING OF THE WINTER OLYMPICS IN 2014.THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 29 SCENIC SPOTS IN RUSSIA THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST. ACCORDING TO THIS INDICATOR, RUSSIA IS AMONG THE TOP TEN COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. THESE HERITAGE SITES INCLUDE: A GROUP OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RELICS LOCATED IN NOVGOROD, SERGIEV TOWN, KAZAN, YAROSLAVL, AND JERBINT, WHITE STONE CHURCHES IN VLADIMIR, SUZDAL, AND SVIYAZHSK ISLANDS, A GROUP OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BUILDINGS IN KIE ISLAND AND THE SOLOVETSKY ISLANDS, AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECES.NATURE HAS GENEROUSLY BESTOWED UPON RUSSIA MANY TREASURES, SUCH AS THE DEEPEST AND CLEANEST LAKE BAIKAL IN THE WORLD, THE VOLCANOES AND GEYSERS IN KAMCHATKA, THE "GOLDEN MOUNTAINS" OF ALTAI, THE KOMI PRIMITIVE FOREST, THE KURS SANDMOUTH, THE CENTRAL SIKHOTE ALIN MOUNTAINS, THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEM OF WRANGEL ISLAND, THE LENA RIVER PILLAR NATURAL PARK, AND THE PUTORANA PLATEAU.FOR CHINESE TOURISTS, THERE IS ALSO A UNIQUE FORM OF TOURISM - VISITING MEMORIAL SITES RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS, THE LIVES OF SOVIET PARTY AND STATE LEADERS.I WANT TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN: WE HAVE BOTH PLACES TO VISIT AND PLACES TO RELAX AND VACATION. I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN TO ALL FRIENDLY CHINESE TOURISTS - WELCOME TO RUSSIA!