Russia and China have pledged to increase bilateral cooperation with each other following a meeting between Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on February 2 and 3, where the two “exchanged in-depth views… on China-Russia relations, bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries, and international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern,” accord to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry also stated that Ma “the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has always maintained a momentum of high-level development. The political mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, cooperation in various fields has steadily advanced, and international cooperation has become closer,” adding that “China is ready to work with Russia to earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state and promote new progress in bilateral relations in the new year.”

The Ministry concluded by stating that Russia “is ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China, implement the important common understandings reached by the two heads of state, deepen bilateral and multilateral strategic cooperation, and maintain close communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, so as to take Russia-China relations to a higher level.”