China and Russia will strengthen cooperation in supporting international anti-pandemic cooperation, setting an exemplar of major-country peaceful coexistence, enhancing cutting-edge technological innovations and safeguarding international justice and equity, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.
Wang attended a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries in Moscow and visited Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia from Sept. 10 to 16.
He and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, following face-to-face talks, have reached a series of important consensus on strengthening bilateral ties and dealing with international and regional challenges, Wang told Xinhua in an interview.
On a joint statement by the two ministers, Wang said it has interpreted the common position of China and Russia on almost all international issues, showing the two countries have become the key stabilizers in the current international landscape.
As the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century, accelerated by the onslaught of COVID-19, Wang said that in a bid to maintain and consolidate the sound development of China-Russia ties, the two ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation in four areas.
First, the two countries will support international anti-pandemic cooperation, and in particular, support the World Health Organization in playing a coordinating role, support various countries in accelerating drug and vaccine research and development, and call for efforts to stop politicizing the pandemic and virus.
Second, China and Russia will set an exemplar of major-country peaceful coexistence, and constructive major-country coordinative relations are indispensable to solve global problems.
Third, the two sides will strengthen cutting-edge scientific and technological innovations. China and Russia have complementary advantages in science and technology, and will implement the projects of the Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation, improve applications of scientific and technological advances, promote two-way exchanges of talents, and encourage investment in high-tech, internet and other fields.
Fourth, they will safeguard international justice and equity. China and Russia will firmly safeguard the core position of the United Nations in international affairs, defend international laws and the basic norms governing international relations, and actively reform and improve the global governance system.
Noting such tests as certain country's unilateral bullying, wantonly interference in other countries' internal affairs, and containment and suppression of China and Russia, Wang said that the two countries' friendship is unbreakable and their strategic cooperation will not change due to the influence of the external environment.
As the world is entering a period of turbulence and change, strong China-Russia relations are of more prominent significance in sustaining regional and world peace and security, according to Wang.
China and Russia will unwaveringly develop future-oriented relations, and work with the international community to construct a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity, justice and win-win cooperation and build a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to make greater contributions to the cause of human peace and development, Wang said. Enditem
