Hu's first stop in Russia early in July yielded bilateral deals in energy, finance and electricity, plus a joint Sino-Russian declaration committing China and Russia to stand together on major international issues. In a thinly veiled message aimed at Washington, the declaration condemned "the aspiration for monopoly and domination in international affairs. Hu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, offered each other support in Moscow's war against Chechnyan separatist rebels and in Beijing's efforts to quell Taipei's independence forces.
Hu's stopover in Kazakhstan further solidified the prospects of additional energy supplies for China, as the two countries pledged increased economic ties and cooperation, particularly in the construction of the Atasau-Lashankou pipeline, which would transport oil from Kazakhstan to China when it is scheduled to become operational at the end of the year. In Kazakhstan, Hu attended the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Central Asian security bloc that includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Besides urging deeper regional economic and security cooperation, Hu's speech at the summit also championed national sovereignty, declaring Central Asian countries capable of "adequately handling their internal affairs and regional affairs".
Hu's final stop was Scotland, the site of the G8 meeting where he took part as an invited guest along with leaders of other developing countries. The meeting was an important venue for Hu, who in mixing with the leaders of the world's richest nations, sought to build his diplomatic credentials. There, Hu met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the two pledged to advance Sino-British ties and relations between China and the EU.
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