Beijing, Moscow hail solid ties

The fresh consensus and policy manifestations made by China and Russia during Foreign Minister Wang Yi's latest visit to Moscow serve as a convincing reminder of the bilateral ties' resilience as well as the two nations' capability to advance their shared policy agenda in an undisturbed and productive way, observers said.

During his official visit from Monday to Wednesday, Wang met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Highlights of the meetings include fresh plans for high-level exchanges later this year, joint celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II and pragmatic cooperation.

As this year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, Putin told Wang that he looks forward to the Chinese side attending commemorative events in Russia, and Russia is making all-out preparations for the events.

Moscow is ready to take this as an opportunity to bring the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination "to a new level" and the two sides should "keep sending powerful signals to the world on strengthening strategic coordination", the Russian leader said.

For his part, Wang said "the advancement of China-Russia ties will not halt but lead to broader horizons", the friendship between the two countries has a long-term perspective and their cooperation "allows no disturbance from outside".

Since Beijing and Moscow have aligned their plans to support each other's 80th anniversary commemorative events, the engagements between the heads of state of the two countries this year "will again write new chapters" for bilateral ties, he added.

In Moscow, Wang and Lavrov talked about the Ukraine crisis, and the two sides also coordinated their positions on the current international situation, particularly developments in the Asia-Pacific region.

Wang expressed China's support for all peacemaking efforts, noting that China is willing to build more international consensus through the Group of Friends for Peace and play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

Lavrov said that Russia fully supports China's position on the Taiwan question, it is ready to work together to safeguard and defend a just and rational international order, and it will never allow the resurgence of Nazism, fascism and militarism.

Before this Russia trip, the world has seen major changes such as signs of the thawing of ties between Moscow and Washington and the ravaging trade wars flared up by the current administration of the United States, experts noted.

Dong Manyuan, a senior researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said that Wang's visit is key because the international situation "has undergone profound and complex changes this year, making it even more necessary for China and Russia to step up and deepen their comprehensive strategic communication".

"Wang's visit to Russia is not only beneficial to the development of bilateral relations, but also conducive to world peace and stability, as well as to stabilizing the situation in the Eurasian region."

"Also, both China and Russia are carrying out their respective diplomatic mediation efforts on Middle East issues," he said.

Wang's Russia trip marked his second meeting with Lavrov this year. The previous meeting took place in February on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.

According to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry about the ministers' meeting in Moscow, the two sides agreed to "prepare solidly for exchanges at various levels within the year" and deepen practical cooperation in various fields to better underpin the entire relationship.

They also pledged to enhance coordination within multinational frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the G20 and the United Nations to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Global South countries.

Xing Guangcheng, director of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies, said, "There is a great deal of uncertainty in the world, but there is one great certainty and that's China-Russia relations."

Xing said the ties "are in the best shape of all time", and that China-Russia cooperation in the new era "enjoys a strong, self-driven impetus".

China-Russia ties do not target third parties and are not affected by them, and their good neighborly relations featuring "friendship for generations" have had a constant effect, he said.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn