MOSCOW, December 6. /TASS/. Former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin will be remembered in Russia as a true friend, whose consistent efforts resulted in the signing of the historic Treaty of Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wrote in the book of condolences, opened in the Chinese Embassy in Moscow in remembrance of the late ex-president.

"Comrade Jiang Zemin enjoyed great prestige not only in China, but throughout the entire world. Our country remembers him as a true friend of our people, whose consistent efforts resulted in the signing of the historic 2001 Treaty of Sino-Russian Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation in Moscow. The memory of Comrade Jiang Zemin will forever remain in our hearts, the book entry reads, according to the photo, posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel.

Earlier, CCTV reported that Jiang Zemin, who suffered from leukemia and internal organ failure, passed away on November 30, 2022 in Shanghai, aged 96. His body was cremated in Beijing on Monday.

From June 1989 to November 2002, Jiang Zemin served as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. He served as China’s president from 1993 to 2003.