The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the United Russia party, the ruling political party of Russia, hold their ninth meeting of dialogue via video link on Tuesday. Photo: courtesy of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the United Russia party, the ruling political party of Russia, held their ninth meeting of dialogue via video links on Tuesday to communicate and exchange opinions on inter-party cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic and rising pressure from the US. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday sent congratulatory letters to the ninth meeting of the dialogue mechanism between the ruling parties of China and Russia, held via video link.

The attendees included Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Boris Gryzlov, head of the Supreme Council of the United Russia party, as well as senior officials and representatives from both sides in the fields of diplomacy, publicity, law enforcement and local governments in bordering regions. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the United Russia Party, as well as the 20th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the CPC and the United Russia party.

After the meeting, the two ruling parties reached consensus that they will attend the crucial anniversary celebrations of each other this year, and will firmly oppose the behavior and attempts of "some countries," which use the pretexts of "democracy and human rights" to interfere in the internal affairs of other sovereign countries, to conduct unilateral sanctions, to promote bullying and hegemony, and to create chaos and unrest.

Xi said in the letter that the long-term institutionalized exchanges between the two parties have consolidated political and strategic mutual trust and promoted mutually beneficial cooperation in all dimensions between the two countries. The combined forces of changes and a pandemic, both unseen in a century, have brought the world into a phase of fluidity and transformation, he said.

Xi called on China and Russia, as major powers of global influence, to deepen comprehensive strategic coordination in the new era, and to play an underpinning role in safeguarding international fairness and justice, maintaining world peace and stability, and promoting common development and prosperity.

In his letter, Putin noted that dialogue between the two parties has always been an important component of the two countries' comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership, and despite the impact of the pandemic, the two parties have maintained comprehensive exchanges from the central to local levels. 

Putin said the two sides have engaged in in-depth discussions on major issues of bilateral cooperation, and have coordinated to form numerous socio-political initiatives on party building and legislative work that meet the needs.

Song said the ruling parties of the two countries should mutually support the core interests of each other, to actively show the political consensus of the two parties, and strike back at the attempt of "some countries" who are trying to create trouble in China, Russia and their neighboring regions. 

Gryzlov criticized the US in his speech, saying that US leaders are, in fact, pursuing unilateralism and have increased sanctions on China and Russia when the US found it can't bully China and Russia into submission. US pressure can only make Russia and China, as well as the two ruling parties, more powerful.

Gryzlov also praised Chinese senior diplomats' confidence and firmness at the China-US "2+2" dialogue in Anchorage, Alaska last month. He said Russia and China are able to directly influence the international situation while the US, the UK and France don't always hold a constructive stance.

Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui and Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov also spoke on the achievements of China-Russia cooperation in various fields via video link.