Chinese President Xi Jinping has reiterated his intention to deepen strategic cooperation with Russia, according to a statement issued by Moscow following a high-level meeting in Beijing with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The bilateral talks were held in advance of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Council in Tianjin. President Xi described Russia-China relations as enduring and robust, calling his partnership with President Vladimir Putin a “long-standing and good friendship.”
Xi expressed support for an expanded strategic partnership and welcomed the forthcoming visit of Putin, expected to attend the SCO Heads of State Council summit on September 1, followed by commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on September 3.
Although specific topics from the Xi-Lavrov meeting were not disclosed by the Russian Foreign Ministry, it confirmed that both sides had addressed regional and global affairs, as well as political coordination between their governments.
Lavrov also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. Both foreign ministers praised the stability and strategic importance of their bilateral relationship. Wang Yi characterized China-Russia ties as “the most stable, mature and strategically valuable major-country relationship in the world,” according to Beijing’s official press release.
Lavrov will participate in the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Council session, where member states are expected to deliberate on the organization’s direction and preparations for the September leadership summit.