Chinese FM in Russia to discuss ‘strategic’ relations

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has traveled to Russia to exchange views with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Moscow-Beijing’s “strategic partnership.”

“Special attention will be paid to bilateral cooperation in the international affairs, which constitutes one of the most important spheres of Russian-Chinese strategic partnership,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

“Moscow and Beijing share equal or similar approaches to most international problems and plan to continue close coordination of its foreign policy efforts,” the foreign ministry stressed.

The ministry attached significance to the expansion of Moscow-Beijing cooperation in various formats, particularly in the UN, the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation).

“Both sides stress the importance of increasing the effectiveness of joint efforts in countering global and regional challenges, of ensuring the sustainable development of the world economy,” the ministry added.

Wang arrived in Moscow on Tuesday at the invitation of Lavrov. This is while Chinese President Xi Jinping is to visit Moscow on May 9.

Earlier in May 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to China. Putin and Xi held bilateral meetings during the Winter Olympics in Russia’s Sochi, and also at the summits of BRICS in Brazil, SCO in Tajikistan and APEC in China.