Russia and China’s foreign ministers held talks on Sunday to discuss bilateral ties with the United States and explore potential pathways to end the war in Ukraine, according to statements from both countries’ foreign ministries.
President Vladimir Putin’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Sunday. Lavrov is due to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) foreign ministers in China.
“The parties also discussed relations with the United States and prospects for resolving the Ukrainian crisis,” Russia’s foreign ministry said.
“The importance of strengthening close coordination between the two countries in the international arena, including in the United Nations and its Security Council, the SCO, BRICS, the G20 and APEC, was emphasised,” the ministry said.
The close contact between the two countries was to “promote the development and revitalisation of each other, and jointly respond to the challenges brought about by a turbulent and changing world,” China’s Foreign Ministry said.
Both sides also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula and the Iranian nuclear issue, China’s Foreign Ministry said.
China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Putin has sometimes described China as an “ally”.
The U.S. casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat.
China-Russia Ties
The Russia-China partnership has emerged as a defining axis in global geopolitics, driven by shared strategic interests and a mutual desire to counterbalance Western influence, particularly that of the United States.
Over the past decade, ties between Moscow and Beijing have deepened across political, economic, and military dimensions.
Both nations frequently emphasise their “no-limits” friendship, underscored by high-level diplomatic exchanges, joint military drills, and increasing coordination in multilateral forums like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Energy cooperation forms a core pillar of their relationship, with Russia becoming a major supplier of oil and natural gas to China, especially crucial amid Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine.
Simultaneously, China provides Russia with vital economic lifelines through trade and investment, while benefiting from discounted energy deals and strategic leverage.
(With inputs from Reuters and IBNS)
