On the evening of March 15, 2004, President Hu Jintao talked over phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hu Jintao spoke highly of the role played by Putin in promoting development of China-Russia relations, saying that bilateral relations have been further cemented and developed since Putin took over Russian presidency. In particular, the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation has been a landmark in the continuous development of the strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries. He emphasized that to maintain and develop a long-term stable relationship featuring good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation between China and Russia is an unswerving policy of the Chinese government. The Chinese government stands ready to join forces with Russia to further expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Hu Jintao expressed his wishes that Putin and the new Russian administration would make even greater achievements in leading the Russian people in the lofty cause of national development.

Putin stressed that the Russian people and leadership cherish mutual trust and cooperation with China and are willing to make every effort to further develop the strategic partnership of cooperation between Russia and China. Putin said that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the attempt by the Taiwan authorities to forge a so-called referendum will lead to tensions across the Taiwan Straits. The Russian government will unswervingly support the principles and stance of the Chinese government in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and is firmly opposed to any form of "Taiwan independence".

On the afternoon of that same day, President Hu Jintao also sent a message of congratulations to Putin on his re-election as Russia's president. In the message, Hu Jintao expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes to Putin and noted that in recent years, mutual political trust between the two countries has been increasingly enhanced, and achievements in mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields have been quite fruitful. All these have brought about tangible benefits to the people of the two countries. China stands ready to make joint efforts with Russia to bring the strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia to a new high in the direction set out in the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation.