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The Russian foreign minister visited Beijing and received assurances from China to strengthen economic cooperation.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and China agreed to discuss ways to deepen security cooperation in Asia and Europe to counter US attempts to impose its will on the region.
“For a long time, there has been a European-Atlantic security architecture in the form of NATO and the OSCE. [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]” Foreign Minister Lavrov said in Beijing on Tuesday after a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
But these were not “structures within which we could meaningfully negotiate and agree on something based on a balance of interests.”
As Russia’s war in Ukraine escalates, Lavrov said Russia and China have agreed to “start a dialogue on this issue with the participation of other like-minded people.”
Reporting from Beijing, Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu said the United States calls China its biggest rival and Russia its biggest threat.
“Both these countries oppose the growing influence of the United States in Europe and the growing power of NATO, as well as what they call unilateral sanctions against both countries. So Russia and China are natural partners here. .”
At a press conference after the meeting, Wang did not explicitly mention the United States, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), or the war in Ukraine, but said that China and Russia “oppose hegemonism and authoritarian politics, and support the international affairs of a small number of countries.” “We should oppose the monopoly of
China’s top diplomat said both countries needed to stand on the side of “fairness and justice”.
Wang emphasized that China will continue to deepen trade and economic ties with Moscow at a time when Western allies are trying to isolate President Putin and isolate Moscow. It’s frustrating for our allies,” Al Jazeera’s Katrin Yu reported.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Monday that she had difficult conversations with China about cooperation with Russia during her visit and warned of “serious consequences” for Chinese companies that support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Unlawful sanctions”
Foreign Minister Lavrov also condemned the “unlawful sanctions” imposed by Western countries on Russia and other countries, warning that sanctions policies “are beginning to be actively applied against (China) as well.” did.
According to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Foreign Minister Wang told Lavrov that China would “support Russia’s stable development under the leadership of President Putin.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the country has moved closer to China. At a summit last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that relations had “entered a new era.”
China claims to be neutral in the Ukraine conflict but has been criticized for refusing to condemn the Russian attack.
Foreign Minister Lavrov’s two-day official visit to China will be held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times reported that Putin’s visit is also in preparation for his planned visit to Beijing in May. This could be the Russian leader’s first overseas trip since his re-election.
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