The allies have discussed the developments of the war current in Ukraine as well as the relations between the two countries.
China and Russia are “friends forever,” said Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, said during a visit to Moscow during which he had interviews with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Wang also welcomed signs of normalization of links between Washington and Moscow on Tuesday.
“The principle of friends forever, never enemies’ … serves as a solid legal basis to advance strategic cooperation to a higher level,” Wang told the state of Russia in an interview.
Wang is visiting three days in Moscow for strategic cooperation talks, a trip eclipsed by uncertainty around talks to guarantee a cease-fire in Ukraine and the criticism of US President Donald Trump towards Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
China and Russia declared a strategic partnership “without limits” a few days before Putin sends tens of thousands of soldiers in Ukraine in February 2022.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Putin more than 40 times in the last decade, and the two leaders have agreed to deepen links and cooperate on issues such as Taiwan, Ukraine and their mutual rival in the United States.
Wang said China is ready to play a “constructive role” in the end of the conflict in Ukraine, but that Russia will support its “interests”.
At the start of the interviews with Lavrov, Wang added: “We will work together to make new contributions to the cause of peace and development for humanity.”
Putin then expressed his “satisfaction with regard to the way in which our relationship develops” while Wang has spoken of strengthening links and said the two countries were pursuing their common and regional common interests.
Putin also said that Russia was preparing a “good full program” for the symbolic and important visit of Xi in Moscow for the victory parade in May – a sacrosanct day which marks the defeat of the Soviet Union of Nazi Germany during the Second World War. This is the 80th anniversary of this year.
Wang said the current global conditions forced major powers to act as stabilizing factors, it was therefore encouraging that Russia and the United States have decided to improve relations.
His remarks one day came after the Kremlin said that Russia and the United States were working on ideas for a possible regulation of peace in Ukraine and the construction of bilateral links.
Since his entry into office in January, Trump initially moved the United States to a more conciliatory position towards Russia, but he has expressed his anger in recent days during Putin’s question of the legitimacy of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his discussion on the prospect of a new leadership in Ukraine.
Wang rejected the idea that Trump is trying to support Russia in order to fix it against China, condemning ideas like a “relapse of obsolete confrontation and thought”.
Wang said the recent cease-fire talks in Ukraine had already brought results and should continue, despite divergent opinions and the difficult situation on the battlefield.
“The step towards peace, although not so tall, is constructive – it is worth building it,” said Wang. “With peace, it is not pain, no gain. You have to work hard to get there. “
XI was put pressure for a greater involvement of China in peace talks since the first days of the war, which marked its third anniversary in February.
China presents itself as a neutral party in the conflict and says that it does not send deadly help to each side, unlike the United States and other Western countries.
But it is a political and economic ally close to Russia, and NATO members marked Beijing a “decisive catalyst” of the Moscow offensive – which he never condemned.
Beijing proposed alone, and with Brazil, the general principles to end the conflict, but his ideas received a lukewarm reception.
