Editorial

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to China has further cemented the all-round strategic partnership between the two countries, which was already nothing short of substantial, thanks to their cooperation and exchanges in a wide range of areas. The meeting between Medvedev and Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday and their holding of the 22nd China-Russia Prime Ministers’ Regular Meeting on Wednesday, the first after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, showcased the closeness of ties that have been forged through frequent high-level talks.

Over the past five years, for instance, President Xi Jinping has been to Russia six times, either for state visits or to participate in international activities, and Xi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have talked frequently on the sidelines of different multilateral meetings, which has laid a solid foundation for the countries’ increasingly good relations.

And as Xi said in his meeting with Medvedev in Beijing on Wednesday, China’s clear objective of advancing and deepening ties with Russia, and its steadfast resolve to do so, will not change.

The economies of both countries are complementary to each other. China’s capital, market, infrastructure construction and manufacturing capacity can meet the needs of Russia’s development while Russia’s advanced technology and resources of both raw material and talent are what China needs for the upgrading of its economy.

Russia’s development strategy dovetails with China’s, which finds expression in the converging of China’s development of its northeast region with Russia’s development of its far east. That explains why Russia has supported China’s Belt and Road Initiative from the very beginning. The economic cooperation between the two countries will be further promoted.

The good bilateral ties have made it easy for both to reach consensuses on a wide range of international issues, which has a bearing on the overall global situation and hot spot issues.

Both are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, members of the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and their joint efforts play a key role in maintaining the world’s political stability.

Healthy relations between the world’s major countries make a huge difference to global stability and the building of a community of shared future for all mankind. The good bilateral China-Russia relations have set a good example and will continue to contribute to these.

China and Russia will further promote their political mutual trust and substantiate their strategic partnership, which will not just be in their own interests but also the interests of the world.