Beijing, 8 Aug (ZXS) -- On 7 August, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister, had a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Wang Yi said that since President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in March this year, the two countries have made new progress in strategic cooperation and pragmatic cooperation, bilateral trade volume has reached a new high, energy cooperation has been steadily carried out, and personnel exchanges have resumed rapidly. Facts have proved that China and Russia are trustworthy and reliable good friends and partners. At present, the most important task of the two sides is to continue to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia in the new era to maintain a high level of development.
Wang Yi said that in the international and multilateral arenas, China and Russia continue to cooperate closely, promote the process of world multipolarization and democracy in international relations, and safeguard the basic norms of international relations, which is the international responsibility that China and Russia should bear, and it is also the proper meaning of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. The BRICS mechanism has closely followed the trend of the times and shown abundant vitality, and more than 20 countries have expressed their desire to join, and the process of expanding its membership is natural and imperative. China is willing to work with BRICS partners, including Russia, to support South Africa in hosting the upcoming BRICS Summit and promoting the healthy and vigorous development of the BRICS mechanism.
Lavrov said that Russia is willing to work with China to implement the important results of President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in March this year, strengthen strategic coordination, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and promote new achievements in bilateral relations. 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, oppose hegemony, resist unilateralism, promote the process of democratization of international relations, and safeguard international fairness and justice.
The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, such as the Ukraine crisis. Wang Yi stressed that on the issue of the Ukraine crisis, China will uphold an independent and impartial position on any international multilateral forum, voice an objective and rational voice, actively promote peace and talks, and strive to seek a political solution. Lavrov said that Russia highly agrees with the position paper on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis put forward by the Chinese side and appreciates and welcomes China's constructive role in this regard. (End)