Interview: China, Russia have solid foundation for conjoining national development strategies -- Chinese ambassador

Deep political mutual trust, pragmatic cooperation and high-quality strategic programs have laid a solid foundation for conjoining China's and Russia's national development strategies, which are gaining strong momentum, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui said.

Strategically, top leaders of both countries have signed a joint statement on integrating China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) construction, Li told Xinhua in an exclusive interview prior to two significant summits scheduled for next week in the Russian city of Ufa.

At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 7th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit and the 15th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The two sides have agreed to launch a dialogue mechanism to coordinate stands and policies on creating common economic space, Li said, adding that progress has been continuously made in areas of infrastructure, trade, investment and mutual understanding.

Moreover, China and Russia should make concerted efforts to step up financial cooperation via mechanisms such as the Silk Road Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the SCO Interbank Consortium, and build a trade facilitation mechanism in fully-developed areas, so as to expedite the establishment of a China-EAEU free trade zone, he said.

Commenting on the current bilateral relations, Li said the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at an all-time high with frequent high-level mutual visits, pragmatic cooperation and flourishing cultural exchanges, which have set an example of harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation for the world.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War, the ambassador said, both countries will hold a series of commemorative events to urge the international community to draw lessons from history, reaffirm their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, and explore ways of upholding global peace and security under new circumstances.

Speaking highly of the SCO's role in safeguarding the common security of its members and facilitating win-win cooperation, Li stressed that the past 14 years since its founding in 2001 have witnessed the growth of political mutual trust and friendship within the group, as well as steadfast collaboration in security, economy and culture.

Facing new situations and challenges, Li added, the member countries should effectively implement the SCO Development Strategy until 2025 with adherence to the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development, so as to achieve all-win cooperation by making full use of the integration of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the EAEU.

With regard to BRICS, the ambassador noted that the bloc has developed into a strategic platform for major emerging economies to conduct cooperation and dialogue and take an active part in global governance.

BRICS countries have maintained close coordination in tackling global and regional issues, such as the global financial crisis, climate change, defending the overall interests of developing countries and emerging markets, and helping them gain a larger say in the international arena, Li said.

He said that the establishment of the BRICS Development Bank has demonstrated that financial cooperation among emerging economies, BRICS countries in particular, has made practical progress, which has not only brought new chances to meet the investment needs of developing countries, but also boosted the multi-polarization of the world economy. Endi