Interview: China pledges to enhance anti-terrorism cooperation with Russia: envoy

China supports all countries' efforts to safeguard their national security and has pledged to enhance anti-terrorism cooperation with Russia, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui said.

Li made the remarks in a recent interview with Xinhua ahead of a prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held Monday and Tuesday in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou. The SCO groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan,

Noting that security and stability are prerequisite to development, Li said law enforcement cooperation among the SCO member countries, particularly anti-terrorism cooperation, has been one of the SCO's core missions.

Since its founding in 2001, the bloc has made remarkable achievements in enhancing security and anti-terrorism cooperation, Li added.

China will work with Russia to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation with a zero-tolerance attitude, jointly crack down on cross-border crimes and cyber crimes, and enhance cooperation on drug control, he said.

Li reiterated that the SCO is an important platform for the integration of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) framework and the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt initiative.

During their meeting in Moscow in May this year, both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin committed to further strengthening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and to the integration of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and the EAEU construction.

This signaled that China-Russia political mutual trust has reached a new height and brings new opportunities for the development strategies of the two countries, Li said.

This year marks the 66th year of the establishment of the China-Russia diplomatic relations. Featuring equal treatment and mutual benefit, caring for each other's interests and concerns, as well as dedication to safeguarding international equity and justice, the China-Russia relations are at their best time in history and have set a good example for international relations, Li said.

During the SCO prime ministers' meeting, both sides are expected to seek further cooperation in such fields as finance, agriculture, environmental protection, aeronautics, astronautics, new energy, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

In the face of both conventional and unconventional security challenges, all countries should work for new international relations featuring win-win cooperation so as to enjoy respect, security and common development, Li said. Endi