BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday, stressing that China and Russia are reliable friends, partners to each other.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, noted that since March, the two countries have made new progress in both strategic collaboration and practical cooperation, with bilateral trade reaching a new high, energy cooperation steadily proceeding, and people-to-people exchanges resuming rapidly.
He pointed out at present, the most important work of the two sides is to continue to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, and to promote bilateral comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era to continue to maintain a high level of development.
In the international and multilateral arenas, Wang called on the two sides to work closely and strategically to promote the process of multi-polarization of the world and democratization of international relations, and to safeguard the basic norms of international relations.
In terms of the development of BRICS, Wang said China is ready to work with its BRICS partners, including Russia, to support South Africa in organizing the upcoming BRICS leaders’ meeting and to promote the healthy and dynamic development of the BRICS mechanism.
Lavrov told Wang that Russia is ready to work with China to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation under the multilateral frameworks of the United Nations, the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), opposing hegemony, resisting unilateralism, advancing the process of democratization of international relations, and safeguarding international justice and righteousness.
The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, including the Ukraine crisis.
Wang emphasized that on the Ukraine crisis, China will uphold an independent and impartial position on any international multilateral occasion, sound an objective and rational voice, actively promote peace talks, and strive to seek a political solution.
Lavrov said that Russia highly endorses the position paper put forward by China on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and appreciates and welcomes the constructive role played by China in this regard.
