Steady Sino-Russian ties major support for development, peace and stability: Chinese FM

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Tuesday that the healthy and stable relationship between China and Russia has become a major boost for the two countries' development and a strong guarantee for regional and global peace and stability.

During a meeting here with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Wang said China and Russia are currently enjoying a firmer mutual support at all levels, a more open practical cooperation in multiple spheres as well as a more effective and closer international coordination.

Under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership has been working on a high level and entered a new development phase, said Wang.

Lavrov said Russia-China relationship is a diplomatic priority for Russia, as the consensus between the top leadership has led to great results in bilateral trade, energy, finance, high-tech cooperation, while coordination and mutual support in international affairs has played an important role in safeguarding world peace and stability.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to further promote political mutual trust and support, practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges and international coordination in order to maintain the bilateral strategic partnership at a high-level.

The two foreign ministers believed that there is still huge room for bilateral development and pragmatic cooperation, and would like to explore the links between China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and Russia's idea of creating a cross-Eurasia passage and integrating Eurasian economies, making them the new growth points for the two economies and the driving force for reviving Eurasia.

They also pledged more cooperation at platforms including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS. China would fully support the SCO and BRICS summits to be held in July in Russia, to ensure the common interests of emerging markets and the broader developing countries, Wang said.

As main battle fields in Asia and Europe during the Second World War, both countries feel the responsibility and obligation to support each other in celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World War II, to ensure history is remembered while reminding the world of the importance of safeguarding and promoting world peace.

The two ministers also called for more people-to-people exchanges and pledged support for the Year of Youth Exchange between China and Russia.

Wang and Lavrov agreed that China and Russia, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, should take the lead and firmly commit to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and push for peaceful resolutions to regional and international issues, striving to shape a new type of international relations centered on win-win cooperation. Endite