ISLAMABAD: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss a variety of regional and global issues, including the current conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, according to Chinese state media.
The two-day official visit of Lavrov to China is a part of the overall efforts by Moscow and Beijing to strengthen their strategic partnership in the face of growing tensions with the West.
After meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Lavrov informed reporters that Russia and China are planning to launch a dialogue with other like-minded states in order to strengthen their security cooperation in Europe and Asia. He said this initiative is meant to counter what he termed as US efforts to dominate the region.
Lavrov condemned the sanctions imposed by the West, terming them as illegal and violation of global standards. He claimed that these actions are now being directed more and more at China, in an effort to suppress its economic and technological development.
According to Lavrov, the West is trying to suppress the development of China, just to get rid of the competition.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a joint press briefing that the two sides had discussed in detail the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
China, as a peace and stability force, will continue to play a positive role in the world and will never worsen tensions, Wang said.
He emphasized that the two countries are against hegemonism and exclusive blocs and urged them to resist Cold War mentality and any attempts to divide or cause separatism.
Wang said that NATO should not expand its influence into our common region. He reiterated the desire of Beijing to strengthen strategic partnership with Moscow and added that both nations should uphold fairness and justice in the international arena.
The two foreign ministers also had detailed talks on a range of international hotspots, including the Asia-Pacific, Ukraine, and the Israeli Palestinian conflict, according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency.
In his meeting with Lavrov, President Xi emphasized that China would enhance its relationship with Russia and enhance reforms in international governance. He added that both countries share a duty to bring Global South countries together on the basis of equality, transparency and inclusiveness.
China is keen to increase the communication with Russia and enhance coordination through multilateral forums like BRICS and SCO, he added.
Xi was quoted by Xinhua as saying that he and President Putin have agreed to keep in close contact to make sure that China-Russia relations move steadily forward.
The meetings are an indicator of the two countries continuing to be in agreement on major geopolitical issues and their attempts to redefine the international order to one that is not dominated by the West.
