During a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed strengthening bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation on key international and regional issues. A significant outcome of the discussion was Russia’s reaffirmed support for China’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have laid the groundwork for deepened strategic ties through productive meetings in May and August. Wang Yi conveyed confidence that with Russia’s backing and the involvement of other economies, China’s hosting of the APEC meeting would yield positive outcomes in enhancing regional cooperation, driving economic growth, and fostering a tightly-knit Asia-Pacific community.
Wang emphasized the importance of China and Russia’s cooperation within international organizations like the United Nations and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, aiming to bolster multilateralism and refine global governance. Lavrov echoed these sentiments, highlighting the ongoing development of relations between Moscow and Beijing across various sectors, driven by the strategic direction set by their leaders.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s commitment to supporting China as the host of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and expressed Moscow’s readiness to enhance coordination with Beijing on international platforms such as the United Nations, G20, APEC, and BRICS. This reflects a mutual interest in strengthening their strategic partnership on global economic and political matters.
The meeting also covered an exchange of views on upcoming high-level diplomatic engagements and challenges on both regional and international fronts. These discussions underscore the continued efforts by China and Russia to deepen their strategic coordination and reinforce their cooperation on various global issues.