June 16, 2022
BEIJING – Speaking by phone, leaders hail mutual support, deepened China-Russia relations
President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, in which the two nations agreed to contribute positive efforts to building a fairer and more equitable international order.
Xi said that China stands ready to work with Russia to strengthen communications and coordination within important international and regional organizations such as the United Nations, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
This will help promote solidarity and cooperation among emerging market economies and developing countries and promote the development of the international order and global governance in a more just and reasonable direction, he said.
Xi said that, since the beginning of this year, faced with global turmoil and changes, China-Russia relations have maintained a good momentum of development.
China is willing to work with Russia to continue supporting each other on their respective core interests concerning sovereignty and security as well as issues of major concern, he said.
In terms of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Xi said that a new cross-border bridge connecting Heihe in China and Blagoveshchensk in Russia’s Far East has opened a new route of interconnectivity between the two countries.
China stands ready to maintain the sustainable development of long-term bilateral practical cooperation, he added.
With a length of 1,284 meters and a width of 14.5 meters, the bridge, which opened on Friday, is the first highway bridge connecting China and Russia, according to media reports.
Putin said that practical cooperation between Russia and China has maintained steady development this year and Russia supports the Global Security Initiative proposed by China.
His country is opposed to interference by any force in China’s domestic affairs under the pretext of so-called issues related to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, Putin said.
Russia is ready to strengthen multilateral coordination with China in order to contribute constructive efforts to promoting global multipolarization and building a fairer and more equitable international order, Putin added.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. Xi said China always makes independent judgments based on the historical merits of the Ukraine issue and is actively committed to promoting world peace and fostering stability in the global economic order.
He called on all parties to push forward the appropriate settlement of the Ukraine crisis in a responsible way, saying that China is willing to continue to play its due role in this regard.
The two leaders’ phone call came ahead of the 14th BRICS Summit to be held this month under China’s chairmanship. The BRICS countries consist of nations at a similar development stage, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Alexey Maslov, director of Institute of Asian and African studies at Moscow State University, said the phone call showed the willingness of the two countries to work together for better global governance to address common challenges under both bilateral and multilateral mechanisms.
He also said the two countries have maintained close cooperation in the medical and anti-coronavirus fields, and should continue to enhance cooperation in areas including high-tech and finance.