Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his plans to strengthen and deepen strategic cooperation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday.
The talks between the two took place ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers session in Tianjin.
Xi praised Russia-China bilateral relations, reaffirming his commitment to expanding their cooperation in strategic affairs, defence, and trade.
He also said China would welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin for his upcoming visit to Beijing, describing the relationship as a “long-standing and good friendship.”
In addition to agreeing to strengthen bilateral ties, Xi and Lavrov discussed a series of key international issues along with regional matters; however, the Russian foreign minister did not disclose the specifics of what was discussed.
China is preparing to welcome the Russian president on his state visit, during which he is expected to attend the SCO Heads of State Council meeting scheduled for 1 September.
The organisation’s top decision-making body will be participating in events in September on the eve of the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over imperialist Japan during the Second World War.
Earlier, Lavrov met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and expressed satisfaction with the ongoing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Wang said China-Russia relations were “the most stable, mature, and strategically valuable major-country relationship in the world,” according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Lavrov, who recently concluded his three-day official visit to North Korea, arrived in Beijing on Sunday to attend the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers today.
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