China says to 'strengthen strategic cooperation' with Russia in defiance of West's unilateralism

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has announced his country's commitment to "strengthen strategic cooperation" with Russia, with focus on strengthening diplomatic relations amid efforts to increase multipolarity.

China's top diplomat made the remarks in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Beijing.

Lavrov arrived in the Chinese capital for a two-day official visit on Monday to “discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Asia-Pacific region, issues of bilateral cooperation and interaction in the international arena.”

In meetings on Tuesday, Wang promised "China will support Russia's stable development under the leadership of [Vladimir] Putin," Russian state media reported.

"I think that under the strong leadership of President Putin, the Russian people will have a bright future," he said.

China and Russia have significantly strengthened their economic cooperation and diplomatic ties in recent years, with their strategic partnership growing even closer following the Ukraine conflict.

"Foreign Minister Lavrov and I had an in-depth communication about several international and regional hotspot issues... including the Ukraine and Palestine-Israel conflicts," Wang emphasized.

Russia’s foreign minister in China for talks, notably on Ukraine

The United States has issued multiple warnings to the European Union and NATO foreign ministers about China’s support for Russia.

"At the same time, as a force for peace and stability, China will stick to playing a constructive role on the international stage... and will never add oil to the flames," he said.

Lavrov, for his part, said that during his visit Russia and China reaffirmed commitment to joint efforts in combating terrorism.

The two nations also expressed their joint determination to tackle the global threat of terrorism using collaborative and multilateral approaches.

"I thank the Chinese side for their condolences in connection with the terrorist attack in the Moscow region on March 22 of this year, for supporting Russia's fight against terrorism," Russian news agencies cited Lavrov as saying.

Lavrov also expressed his gratitude towards China for its support following President Vladimir Putin's recent re-election, highlighting that Chinese President Xi Jinping was one of the first to extend congratulations to the newly elected president.

"The election results confirmed the deep trust of the Russian people in our leader and the ongoing domestic and foreign policies," he added, according to RIA Novosti.

Russia and China declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing just days before Russia launched its campaign in Ukraine.

Trade between the two sides reached a record $240 billion last year, with Chinese companies increasing investment after Western firms left Russia following the imposition of sanctions against Moscow.

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