The 2020 plenary session of the Chinese side of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development (CRFCPD) was held on Dec 30 in Beijing. 

Xia Baolong, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chinese chairman of the CRFCPD, delivered a speech at the session. 

Xia stressed that the committee should focus on the actual need of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, improve its role as a key channel for non-governmental exchanges between the two countries, help bring the two peoples closer and pass on their friendship to future generations in order to make new contributions to the development of the friendship between the two countries. 

Xia pointed out that over the past year the committee has made earnest efforts to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and further consolidate the social foundation of the generations-long friendship between the two peoples. 

Noting that the year 2021 is particularly important to China’s modernization process, Xia stressed that the committee should organize various activi chinadaily.com.cn ties to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, and take the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation as an opportunity to carry out innovative cooperation. 

Xia urged the committee to make good use of various China-Russia pragmatic cooperation platforms to further expand the exchanges and cooperation between local authorities, enterprises, young people, and social organizations of the two countries and further promote the friendship and mutual understanding of the two peoples. 

Le Yucheng, Chinese vice-minister of foreign affairs, gave a brief introduction to Russia's domestic situation and the state of China-Russia relations at the session.