June 19 the second consultation of the Russian-Chinese group of contacts and cooperation in the religious field under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman of the State Administration for Religious Affairs of China Chzhan Lebin was held in Beijing. The consultations were attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Rushan hazrat Abbyasov. The first consultations were held in the capital of Russia, June 8, 2011.

Religious organizations of Russia were also represented by the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Orthodox Church, the metropolitan Hilarion, the Representative of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia in Moscow, Gelong Sanger Lama. Also the consultations were attended by the Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Russia in China E. Tomihin and by a number of prominent religious and political figures.

The Chinese side was represented by the Deputy Chairman of China State Administration for Religious Affairs (GUDR) Chzhan Lebin, Director of International Relations Department of GUDR Ms. Guo Wei, representatives of the Europe and Central Asia Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, President of the Episcopal Conference of Catholic Bishops of China, deputy chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, Rector of the Beijing Catholic Seminary the bishop Joseph Ma Inlin, the Deputy Chairman of the China Islamic Association Mustafa Yang Zhibo, the deputy of China Buddhist Association, the Vice Rector of Buddhist Academy of China Zong Sin.

During the consultations, the parties emphasized the undeniable truth, which consists in the fact that Russia and China were multinational and multi-religious country, where the integrity, stability and development were directly dependent on the dialogue of religions and cultures.

The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Rushan hazrat Abbyasov, speaking at the consultations emphasized that the historical roots of Islam in Russia and China were deep and had a

fundamental role in the development of modern statehood. Rushan hazrat Abbyasov talked about a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation signed in 2008 between the Russian Muftis Council

and the Muslim Association of China, on which basis the active cooperation and regular meetings devoted to the solution of pressing issues were regularly organized. The last meeting was held in May this year at the residence of the Russian Muftis Council, during which they discussed issues on the organization of the pilgrimage - Hajj and Umrah. Also, to confirm the intention of more close cooperation, Rushan hazrat told about the conversation with the Vice Chairman of China Association of Muslim Mustafa Yang Zhibo, during which the agreement was reached on the mutual visit of leaders of organizations in 2013-2014.

Press Service of the RMC