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Oct. 14, 2008: In an low-key ceremony, Russia officially transfers control over half of Bolshoi Ussuriisky Island (hei xia zi dao) and all of Tarabarov Island (yin long dao), in total about 375 square km, to China. Zhao Xidi, an ambassador-level official with the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and Vladimir Malyshev, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry First Asian Department, jointly unveil the boundary markers. Russia and China reached an agreement on dividing the disputed islands in the Amur River in 2004. The border was legally established in July 2007 in a supplemental protocol. The transfer was the final settlement of the border issue after more than 40 years of negotiations between the two governments. Oct. 14, 2008: The 11th meeting of the Sub-Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation is held in Moscow and co-chaired by Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina and Minister of Commerce Chen Deming. A joint statement pledged to enhance coordination in solving problems in market access and trade. Oct. 14-18, 2008: A Chinese naval squadron consisting of destroyer Tai Zhou and guided missile frigate Ma An Shan arrive at the port of Vladivostok for a four-day visit. The Chinese squadron is led by the PLAN East Sea Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Xu Hongmen and hosted by Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet Vice Adm. Sergei Viktorovich Avramenko. Oct. 17, 2008: The 12th Meeting of the Russian-Chinese Nuclear Issues Subcommittee for the regular Russian-China Prime Minister Meeting is held in Beijing. A protocol is signed for China-Russia Relations 137 January 2009 building the third phases of the gas centrifuge plant and two additional units of the Tianwan nuclear power plant. Oct. 25-28, 2008: Vice Premier Wang Qishan visits Russia to attend a session of the Sino-Russian energy talks mechanism prior to the 13th meeting of the Chinese-Russian Prime Ministers Regular Meeting. Oct. 25-30, 2008: State Councilor Liu Yandong visits Russia at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov for the ninth session of a China-Russia Committee on Humanitarian Cooperation. Oct. 27-29, 2008: Premier Wen Jiabao visits Moscow for the 13th regular meeting of the Russian and Chinese heads of governments on Oct. 28 with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. In Moscow, Wen meets President Medvedev and State Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov and co-chairs with Putin the opening session of the third Russian-Chinese Investment Forum. Several commercial documents are signed in the areas of oil pipelines, nuclear power, helicopter sales, banking, and joint development of a heavy civilian helicopter. Oct. 30-31, 2008: The seventh annual Council of the SCO Heads of Government (prime ministers) meets in Astana, Kazakhstan. Several documents are signed including a protocol between the customs services of the SCO member states to exchange information on transfer of energy resources, the SCO budget for 2009. The action plan for implementing the multilateral trade and economic cooperation agreement is also updated. Nov. 5-7, 2008: State Councilor Dai Bingguo visits Russia at the invitation of Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. They hold the third round of Russian-Chinese Consultations on Strategic Security on Nov. 5-6. Dai meets Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Medvedev on Nov. 7. Nov. 16, 2008: Presidents Medvedev and Hu meet in Washington following the G20 summit on the world financial crisis. Nov. 20, 2008: Sun Xiaoqun, member of the CPC Central Committee, attends the 10th National Congress of the United Russia, Russia’s ruling party holding two-thirds of the seats in the State Duma. Sun pledges to enhance exchange and cooperation with the United Russia. Nov. 23, 2008: Presidents Medvedev and Hu meet in Lima, Peru, on the sideline of the annual APEC forum. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov also hold separate talks during the meeting. Nov. 24-25, 2008: The 12th round of strategic consultations between the Chinese and Russian general staff departments of the two armed forces are held in Beijing. Nov. 26, 2008: The 19th session of the Joint Control Group to promote confidence building measures is held in Beijing with participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and China. China-Russia Relations 138 January 2009 Nov. 27, 2008: Jing Zhiyuan, commander of the Second Artillery Force of the PLA, meets Lt. Gen. Burutin, first deputy chief of general staff of the Russian Armed Forces at the Second Artillery Force Headquarters. Dec. 4, 2008: The Russian-Chinese Sub-Commission on Banking Cooperation discusses in Beijing the possibilities of using national currencies in bilateral trade. Dec. 9-11, 2008: Defense Minister Serdyukov visits Beijing for the 13th session the Russian-Chinese Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation. Dec. 18-19, 2008: Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeyev visits China and meets his counterpart Cai Wu. Dec. 23-24, 2008: The third session of the Joint Russian-Chinese Border Commission is held in Beijing. The complete and final establishment and legal formalization of the border on Oct. 14, 2008 has turned the commission’s work from border demarcation to checking of existing border along the border line. Dec. 29, 2008: PLA Chief of General Staff Chen Bingde and Russian counterpart Nikolay Makarov hold their first-ever conversation via direct phone link. Dec. 29, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi initiates a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. In addition to discussing bilateral issues, they exchange views on relations between India and Pakistan, express serious concern over tension in South Asia, and agree that Russia and China would coordinate their actions and do their best to ease tension by political and diplomatic means. Dec. 30, 2008: President Medvedev sends a New Year eve message to President Hu, expressing deep satisfaction for the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership relations. Dec. 31, 2008: President Hu sends New Year message to President Medvedev and announces the start of the Year of the Chinese and Russian Languages in China. China-Russia Relations 139 January 2009