In a meeting held in Baku, Azerbaijan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation, alongside key international and regional issues. A significant outcome of their discussions was Russia’s reaffirmation of full support for China’s hosting of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen.
The meeting between Wang Yi and Sergei Lavrov comes in the context of productive engagements between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this year. These meetings, held in May and August, have set a strategic direction for the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Russia.
Wang Yi expressed confidence that China’s leadership of the APEC meeting would yield positive outcomes, emphasizing that support from Russia and other economies would help enhance regional cooperation and economic development in the Asia-Pacific region. He also highlighted the importance of China and Russia working together within multilateral organizations like the United Nations to promote multilateralism and improve global governance.
Lavrov underscored the ongoing development of relations between Moscow and Beijing across various sectors, noting that these developments serve the fundamental interests of both nations. He reiterated Russia’s support for China’s role as the host of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and expressed Moscow’s readiness to enhance coordination with Beijing through international platforms including the United Nations, G20, APEC, and BRICS.
The foreign ministers also exchanged views on upcoming high-level diplomatic engagements, as well as regional and international challenges. These discussions reflect the continued efforts by China and Russia to deepen their strategic coordination and strengthen cooperation on global economic and political issues.