Mutual trust provides firm bedrock for neighbors' friendly relationship: China Daily editorial

Sharing a border that stretches for more than 4,200 kilometers, it is natural that China and Russia should work hard to continually strengthen mutual trust and friendly and cooperative relations.

That this is patently desirable for both countries serves to show the extent to which the United States and some of its allies are going to portray the two countries' relationship through the distorting lens of outdated East-West Cold War division. A perspective that they have again been hyping up ahead of the Russian leader's visit to China on Thursday and Friday.

This will be President Vladimir Putin's second visit to China in less than a year. And it comes just over a week after he took office for a new presidential term, reflecting the close friendship between the two neighbors. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Putin will exchange views on bilateral relations with his Chinese counterpart, and discuss cooperation in various fields, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. In recent years, their frequent contacts and cordial exchanges have built up a strong rapport between the two leaders, who have charted the course for the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era together.

Last year, bilateral trade achieved the goal of reaching $240 billion, which epitomizes the immense potential and strong momentum of their mutually beneficial cooperation. China-Russia relations, tested by the vicissitudes of times and forged through hardships and challenges, are in their best historical period and have great prospects as the two countries continue to tap the great potential of their cooperation.

The stable and ever-deepening China-Russia relations not only bring tangible benefits to the two countries, but also contribute to global development, through their coordination in platforms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The development of China-Russia relations adheres to the concepts of permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination, and mutually beneficial cooperation. The two countries have got rid of the zero-sum Cold War mentality of camp confrontation. They insist on non-alliance, non-confrontation and no targeting of third parties. Neither are their relations subject to any third party's influence.

As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, they have always practiced true multilateralism, pursued universal benefits and win-win results in cooperation, promoted an equal and orderly multipolarity of the world, and jointly opened up a path of mutual trust, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation between major countries and neighboring countries. The new paradigm of exchanges has contributed the wisdom and strength of China-Russia ties to international fairness and justice, injecting positive energy into the international community.