China, Russia pledge strong mutual support on issues concerning core interests

China and Russia pledged on Friday to firmly support each other on issues concerning the core interests of the two countries.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the pledge in a phone conversation, saying the two countries remain unswervingly committed to upholding international fairness and justice and safeguarding world peace and stability.

Wang said the all-weather China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has withstood numerous changes in the international landscape, emphasizing that China and Russia have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning their core interests.

Wang noted that the guidance of the heads of state is the fundamental guarantee for bilateral relations to develop in a steady and sustained way and enjoy long-lasting vitality.

Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin witnessed together via video link the ground-breaking ceremony of a China-Russia nuclear energy cooperation project, which injected strong “nuclear impetus” into the development of bilateral relations, Wang said.

He urged the two sides to focus on the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, prepare for upcoming key high-level exchanges, fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and advance cooperation in various fields in a coordinated manner in the post-pandemic era.

The two sides should work to translate their high-level political mutual trust and traditional friendship into more cooperation achievements, aiming for an ever closer and down-to-earth relationship and setting a fine example of developing a new type of relations between major countries, Wang said.

For his part, Lavrov said that the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has advanced vigorously and achieved fruitful results, and the Russian side is satisfied with the high level of the two countries’ relations.

Russia is willing to keep close strategic coordination with China on international and regional issues, firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests, resolutely oppose hegemonism, unswervingly support multilateralism, jointly safeguard world peace and stability and uphold international fairness and justice, the Russian foreign minister said.