Wang Yi Speaks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the Phone
2021/02/04

On February 4, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Both sides stressed the importance of upholding non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, one of the basic norms governing international relations, and working together to maintain global and regional strategic stability.

Wang Yi said, the current international situation is at an important watershed. At such a time, it is even more important for China and Russia to strengthen strategic communication. Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered speeches respectively at the World Economic Forum Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda. The two heads of state echoed each other's positions in their speeches, voicing strong determination to uphold multilateralism and jointly tackle global challenges at the beginning of the year. The two leaders put forward a China-Russia plan to jointly prevail over the COVID-19 pandemic and revitalize the global economy, injecting positive energy and stability into the volatile international landscape.

Wang Yi said, the two heads of state have also agreed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, pointing out the direction for deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries in the new era. Both sides should take this opportunity to add new dimensions to this important treaty and send a clear message to the world that the two countries will safeguard the security of themselves and along their peripheries. Wang Yi said, both China and Russia attach great importance to scientific and technological innovation, and the two countries should join hands to reinforce complementary advantages and strive for major achievements by holding the Russia-China Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation. The two sides should earnestly promote trade and investment facilitation on the basis of mutual benefit, and synergize the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Economic Union to establish regional industrial chains, supply chains and value chains, so as to lay a solid foundation for mutual benefit and win-win results.

Wang Yi noted, as you put it in your annual press conference "we can talk endlessly about Russian-Chinese cooperation that embraces a very wide range of spheres". China totally agrees with what you said. Wang Yi said, China views China-Russia relationship as one of strategic coordination that is all-dimensional and all-weather and sees no restricted area or upper limit.The two countries have conducted efficient coordination within multilateral frameworks and safeguarded international fairness and justice as well as legitimate interests of developing countries. China firmly supports the measures Russia has taken to safeguard its national sovereignty and social stability, and is willing to work with Russia to continuously strengthen coordination on such issues as rejecting interference in internal affairs and fighting against false information.

Lavrov said, the importance of Russia-China relations has long gone beyond bilateral to gain international and regional significance. The two heads of state have maintained close exchanges, which has provided important strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations. Russia is very satisfied with the anti-pandemic cooperation between the two countries and is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in vaccine research, development and production, as well as in pandemic prevention and control, so as to eliminate the impact of the pandemic on practical cooperation. Russia and China should intensify strategic coordination and steadily advance bilateral and multilateral agendas within the year. Russia is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international and regional issues, and the two sides should firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, jointly and staunchly defend multilateralism and safeguard international and regional stability.

The two sides also had in-depth exchanges on issues of common concern such as relations with the United States, and reached new consensus.