Russian FM optimistic about Russia-China economic, trade cooperation

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that he was optimistic about future economic and trade cooperation between his country and China.

Russia-China ties are at their best and consistently deepened for the benefit of both countries and peoples, Lavrov told Chinese, Japanese and Mongolian reporters on the eve of his trip to the three countries.

Trade between Russia and China has dropped due to the sluggish world economy, but the decline was temporary, Lavrov said, adding that Russia and China have great potential for cooperation in energy, telecommunications, aviation and space.

He said cooperation at regional level, such as the dovetailing of Russia's Far East development program and China's plan to revitalize its Northeast, cooperation between Russia's Volga region and the upper and middle reaches of China's Yangtze River, has great significance.

Russia and China are interested in expanding cooperation and aligning the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) with China's Belt and Road Initiative, Lavrov said.

"Currently, an agreement on trade and economic cooperation between the EEU and China is being prepared, and a roadmap for priority integration projects is being worked out simultaneously," he said.

Moreover, Lavrov said both countries have showed willingness to establish a free trade zone between the EEU and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), an idea initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"As India and Pakistan will join the SCO, this will greatly promote the economic growth of the two blocs (the EEU and SCO)," he said.

Besides, the leaders of Russia, China and Mongolia have agreed on the integration of the EEU, the Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's "Steppe Road" project to establish a unique economic transport corridor, Lavrov said, adding that this will help expand trilateral trade and improve competitiveness of the three economies.

Commenting on the South China Sea issue that has led to a spat between China and some Southeast Asian countries, Lavrov said that the disputes should be resolved through dialogue and that attempts to internationalize the issue must be stopped.

He urged external players to stop interfering in the negotiations among those involved, warning that such interference would be "completely counterproductive."

"Documents such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed between China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have paved the way for reaching agreements accepted by both parties, which is the only viable way," said Lavrov.

On the Korean Peninsula issue, he said that Russia and China recognize the right of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, but do not accept its nuclear ambitions.

He also expressed concerns about the possible deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system by the United States in South Korea. "This is not an isolated system, but a link of the U.S. global anti-missile defense system in Northeast Asia."

"Together with our Chinese friends, we realize that following this course will create a real threat to the security of our countries, and destabilize the strategic stability in Northeast Asia," he added.

Moscow and Beijing are devoted to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the resumption of the six-party talks, which is "the real way to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue," Lavrov said. Endi