Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Goa of India on Thursday. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Goa of India on Thursday, during which the two sides agreed to maintain the overall unity and cooperation of the SCO, and build the SCO into a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation among member states.

Qin said that since President Xi Jinping's successful state visit to Russia not long ago, exchanges at all levels between China and Russia have become increasingly active, and cooperation in various fields has been comprehensively launched, according to a release from China's Foreign Ministry. 

China is willing to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic communication, and consolidate and deepen cooperation in various fields, said Qin.

Lavrov said that President Xi's successful visit to Russia has injected strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations. Russia is willing to work with China to strengthen cooperation in various fields and push bilateral relations to a higher level.

The two sides agreed to plan and arrange high-level and various-level exchanges between the two countries in the next stage, strengthen economic and trade cooperation, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote the facilitation of personnel exchanges.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen communication and coordination with member states of the SCO, maintain the overall unity and cooperation of the SCO, and build the SCO into a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation among member states.

Moreover, during Qin and Lavrov's meeting, the two sides also agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as BRICS, the G20, and the United Nations, oppose all forms of hegemony, safeguard the common interests of emerging markets and developing countries, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

The two sides agreed to strengthen communication and coordination in the Asia-Pacific region, oppose the "new cold war" and maintain regional peace and stability. Qin and Lavrov also exchanged views on other international and regional issues of common concern, including the Ukraine crisis. 

Qin said that China will persist in promoting peace talks and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with Russia to make tangible contributions to the political settlement of the crisis. 

Lavrov said that Russia attaches importance to China's position paper on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, agrees with China's principled position, and is willing to maintain close communication with China in a candid manner.

Shortly after the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Qin is scheduled to visit Pakistan from May 5 to 6 and attend the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in Pakistan, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Thursday.

Global Times