（采访开始前，安德烈大使先用中文和读者打招呼）

Andrei Denisov：各位朋友们、女士们、先生们，晚上好。很高兴有这样一个难得的机会，在冬末春初来到海南岛。我在中国住的时间比较长，一共20多年，好几次来过海南省，但最后一次是十年以前，这次来看到有很多变化。我本身的感觉还是非常好的，因为上有钱塘，下有海南岛。今天，就是3月2号，春天已经到了，中国人说春回大地，BT天剑狂刀私服，万物复苏，所以我特别高兴有机会重新来到海南。

Han Hua: Much of your career has been spent in China. What is your favorite recollection from that time? How do you think that experience has shaped your career?

Andrei Denisov: I've been dealing with China professionally for more than half a century, 51 years to be precise. My first visit here was as long ago as 1973, when I was still a student. It was not for studying Chinese, but professional practice as a Chinese interpreter.

From that time on, I've witnessed a lot of changes in this country in the 70s, in 80s, 90s and right now. The greatest thing I've seen here is the changes of the whole life in China, not only economics, not only scientific and technological progress, but changes to the life of ordinary people of China. I still remember the 1970s when life here was not so good, to be quite frank, because income of ordinary people, both in in towns, in the cities and in rural areas were very low. But my second visit, my second term in China as a diplomat was in 1978. So I had a unique chance to witness the launching point, the starting point of Chinese reforms，改革开放政策，刚刚起飞。

So that's why my greatest impression from my stay in China, 20 years if not more in total, is the unique progress of the whole Chinese society.

Han Hua: Being the former Russian ambassador to China, how do you perceive the current state of China Russia relations? And do you see them strengthening or facing challenges in the near future?

Andrei Denisov: No, I think that the Russian Chinese relationship are developing in a very good shape, and I modestly hope that my very small personal contribution in this process does exist as well.

I arrived in China as ambassador in year 2013 and stayed here until 2022, a little bit less than 10 years. It's a long time, even for an ambassador, but I was well prepared to come to China because I had previously spent over 10 years here when I was younger. I was not ambassador from the very beginning. I was junior staff of the embassy, of the trade mission, worked as interpreter and as a young diplomat.

I have come and gone to China, and every time we've seen a lot of progress, not only in Chinese domestic affairs, but in our bilateral relations since late 1980s, after normalization of the Soviet Union and China's relationship, 正常化. From 1990s, the progress in our relationship was also steady and rapid. And right now, as our leaders say, we have reached the highest ever level in history of bilateral collaboration. And I can only appreciate that I was one of the witnesses of that progress.

Han Hua: You are now a Russian senator. What do you think is the most important part of Putin’s state-of-the-nation address the day before yesterday in terms of relations with China?

Andrei Denisov: I think that Putin has just confirmed the fact that Russia's policy is steady, is stable and is aimed at future. From that point of view, it's absolutely obvious to me that under Putin's leadership, the friendship and cooperation between two countries, between two nations, between China's people and Russia's people will go on in a good shape.

Han Hua: Will Sino Russian relations change after the end of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine? How will it be different, if any?

Andrei Denisov: No, I think not, because the relationship of our two countries does not depend on the situations in other parts of the world and doesn't depend on other countries. While advancing in the cooperation, we'll have our own objectives, we have our own platform for such cooperation and it doesn't depend on any outside influences.

Han Hua: Throughout the history of Russia, especially since Peter the Great, Russia has seen alternating periods of engagement and confrontation with the West. How long do you think the current period of relative confrontation will last?

Andrei Denisov: They are just like waves in the sea, there are ups and downs. Now we have almost reached the bottom in relations with Western countries. It depends on Western countries only, on the United States in particular.

First of all, I'm an old man. I've seen different periods in our relationship with western countries, with the European countries, with the United States, with countries like Japan. There were periods of relatively good relations, but that goodness was very fragile. Now we have reached, as I said, the bottom. But we have to stand, as Chinese people say, 站得更高一些，看得更远一些。

My hope is that one day or another, we’ll come back to a normal relationship with our partners in other parts of the world, because in the modern world, global world, the level of mutual dependency is very high, economically and culturally. That's why I think the current situation is abnormal, and normal situation should be the restoration of those relationship.s We don't need any special approach, special attitude or special friendly relationship, we just want normal relationship for the benefits of both sides, of the people living there and here, in my country and in other countries.