China Russia Photo: VCG

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday, during which Wang said that China and Russia are good friends who can trust and rely on each other.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in March, there has been new progress in the strategic and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, Wang said, noting that bilateral trade has reached a new high, energy cooperation has been steadily carried out, and people-to-people exchanges have rapidly recovered. Facts have proved that China and Russia are trustworthy and reliable good friends and partners and the most important task for both sides is to continue to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and promote the high-level development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in the new era between China and Russia, Wang said.

During the call, Wang also said that on the international and multilateral stage, China and Russia continue to cooperate strategically, promote the multipolarization of the world and the democratization of international relations, while maintaining the basic norms of international relations. This is the international responsibility that China and Russia should undertake, and it is also the meaning of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia, he said.

China is willing to support South Africa to host the upcoming BRICS leaders' summit with the BRICS partners including Russia, and promote the healthy and vigorous development of the BRICS mechanism.

Lavrov said that Russia is willing to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with China under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as to oppose hegemony, resist unilaterality, promote the democratization of international relations, and maintain international fairness and justice.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern such as the Ukraine crisis. Wang emphasized that on the issue of the Ukraine crisis, China will uphold an independent and fair position in any international multilateral venue, make objective and rational observations, actively promote peace and encourage talks, and seek political solutions. 

Lavrov said that Russia highly appreciates China's position on the political resolution of the crisis and appreciates and welcomes China's constructive role in this regard.