By Oleg Shchedrov
BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Russia on Friday condemnedU.S. plans to set up a missile defence system that wouldinclude bases in eastern Europe viewed by Moscow as a threat.
"Both sides believe that creating a global missile defencesystem, including deploying such systems in certain regions ofthe world, or plans for such cooperation, do not help supportstrategic balance and stability, and harm international effortsto control arms and the non-proliferation process," Russia andChina said in a joint statement.
"It harms the strengthening of trust between states andregional stability. In this respect (Russia and China) expresstheir concern," it said.
The statement was signed in Beijing by Chinese President HuJintao and Dmitry Medvedev, visiting China on his first foreigntrip since becoming Russian president this month.
Washington says its plans to deploy parts of its missileshield in eastern Europe are intended to counter any missileattack by "rogue" states such as Iran. But they have unnervedMoscow, which sees the project as a threat to its own security.
Washington played down the significance of Chinese-Russianjoint statement on Friday.
"I think it's just a continuation of the kinds of concernsthey've raised in the past," a State Department spokesman said.
He noted that U.S.-Russian talks on the missile shieldwould continue.
Moscow is also annoyed by what it sees as Western attemptsto contain its diplomatic ambitions and keep Russian companiesout of lucrative markets. It is keen to make China a potentialally against Western global influence.
"By visiting China on his first trip abroad since takingoffice, President Medvedev has shown that he attaches a highlevel of importance to the development of bilateral ties," Husaid.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Medvedev and Hu also found common ground on human rights.The United States has frequently criticised Russia and Chinafor rights abuses.
"Both sides are concerned about the universal nature of theprinciple of respecting human rights, but believe that everystate has a right to encourage and protect them based on itsown specific features and characters," the statement said.
"On the issue of human rights ... (we should) opposepoliticising the issue and using double standards, and shouldoppose using human rights to interfere with other countries'affairs," it added.
China and Russia have frustrated Western moves to thwartIran's nuclear ambitions, using their permanent membership ofthe U.N. Security Council to water down sanctions. Both areinvolved in multilateral talks to rein in North Korea's nuclearprogramme.
The two countries have also proposed a treaty to banweapons in space, an idea rejected by Washington.
Moscow and Beijing are the leaders of the ShanghaiCooperation Organisation, a regional grouping which includesCentral Asian states and is seen in Moscow as an alternative toWestern political influence.
But the new Russian president also has to address concernsat home about China's growing military and economic clout andits rivalry with Moscow in resource-rich Central Asia.
Medvedev arrived in China a day after visiting neighbouringKazakhstan, a country crucial to Moscow's aim of keepingCentral Asia's gas out of Western hands and a rival supplier ofChina.
Earlier, Russia's nuclear chief said Moscow would build andsupply a $1 billion (505 million pound) uranium enrichmentplant in China.
(Additional reporting by Ian Ransom; writing by BenBlanchard; editing by Andrew Roche)
