22.02.2023
China’s top diplomatic representative and member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Wang Yi, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 22nd, saying that the relationship between Beijing and Moscow has undergone tests and is “mature, tenacious, and stable as Mount Tai”.
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office, who is visiting Moscow on Wednesday (February 22).According to the news released by the Russian side, Putin praised the friendly cooperation between Russia and China and said thatLooking forward to Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia。
Putin said, “Today’s international relations are very complicated. Under such circumstances, cooperation between China and Russia is of great significance to stabilizing the international situation.”
According to a press release from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi said during the meeting that Sino-Russian relations have withstood the test of international circumstances and are “mature, tenacious, and as stable as Mount Tai”. He said that China is willing to work with Russia to “maintain strategic focus, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation, safeguard the legitimate interests of the two countries, and play a constructive role in promoting world peace and development.” Wang Yi also stressed that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has never targeted a third party, nor will it be interfered by a third party, let alone coerced by a third party.
Agence France-Presse reported that Putin rarely receives foreign officials who are not heads of state at the Kremlin, and the meeting once again highlighted the importance Russia attaches to its special relationship with China on the first anniversary of the Ukraine war. “We are reaching new heights,” Putin said.
Talking about the “Ukraine issue”, Wang Yi expressed his appreciation for Russia’s reaffirmation of its willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, and that China will “adhere to an objective and fair position and play a constructive role in politically resolving the crisis.”
Wang Yi also met with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
Moscow appreciates Beijing’s ‘balanced stance’
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova said after the meeting that Wang Yi’s visit showed that Russia and China agree on many international issues. She said Russia appreciated China’s “balanced stance” on the Ukraine crisis and welcomed China’s intention to play a more active role.
Before meeting Putin,Wang Yi also met with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Secretary-General of the Russian National Security Council Patrushev(Nikolai Patrushev). Patrushev, who is close to Putin, stressed that Beijing is the top priority of Russia’s foreign policy, reiterating Moscow’s consistent support for Beijing on Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. The talks between him and Wang Yi belonged to the “meeting of leaders of the two sides of the China-Russia Strategic Security Consultation Mechanism”.
Before his visit to Moscow, Wang Yi proposed on February 18 during the Munich Security Conference in Germany that China would issue a report on the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine.Position Paper for a Political Solution to the Ukraine Crisisreaffirming Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposition, including that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be respected, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and all efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully should be supported.
(AFP, AP, Reuters)
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