In a recent meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged full support for China’s upcoming role as host of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, set to take place in Shenzhen. The discussions, held with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, focused on enhancing bilateral relations, multilateral cooperation, and tackling key international and regional issues.
Wang Yi highlighted the strategic direction provided by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin through their productive meetings earlier this year. He expressed confidence that with Russia’s support, China would successfully host the APEC summit, which aims to bolster regional cooperation and economic development, while promoting a more interconnected Asia-Pacific community.
The importance of Sino-Russian cooperation within multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia was also emphasized by Wang. He underscored the role of these platforms in promoting multilateralism and improving global governance.
Lavrov reaffirmed the strength of Moscow-Beijing relations across various sectors, attributing this progress to the leadership of their respective presidents. He also expressed Russia’s willingness to enhance coordination with China through major international platforms including the United Nations, G20, APEC, and BRICS.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for the two foreign ministers to exchange views on upcoming high-level diplomatic engagements and to address regional and international challenges. The dialogue underscored ongoing efforts by China and Russia to deepen strategic coordination and reinforce cooperation on global economic and political issues.