State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov exchange New Year congratulatory messages

Upon the coming of the New Year of 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov exchanged New Year congratulatory messages.

Wang Yi said in his congratulatory message that in 2020, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China and Russia have battled the coronavirus hand in hand and worked together against the "political virus", interpreting the deep friendship of supporting each other through thick and thin with practical actions. The successful launch of the Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation between China and Russia as well as rapid restoration of and new progress in cooperation across all fields have injected momentum and confidence into the world economy which is roaring back difficultly. The joint statement published by me and Foreign Minister Lavrov during my visit to Russia in September 2020 indicated, China and Russia have further deepened international cooperation and provided a China-Russia pillar for the peace and security of the world and the strategic stability of the globe. In the coming year, I am willing to stay in close communication with Foreign Minister Lavrov in all forms, fully implement various consensuses reached by the two heads of state, and allow the two sides to further deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperation in the new era, jointly protect common interests and provide new momentum for the building of a new model of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind by taking the opportunity of celebrating the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

Lavrov expressed in his congratulatory message that facing the complicated international situation in this outgoing year, Russia and China have maintained and strengthened coordination on all international issues and worked efficiently together at multilateral platforms. Thanks to the support of our Chinese friend, Russia has wrapped up its work as the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BRICS and the Mechanism for Trilateral Cooperation between Russia, China and India. With the joint endeavors of both sides, the celebration of the 75th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations was successfully held. The two countries have promoted the settlement of international and regional issues through cooperation. Throughout this year, I have maintained close exchanges with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. We met and talked in Munich and Moscow and issued a joint statement, which embodies the consistent stance of the two countries in international affairs. The two foreign ministries have engaged in active online exchanges and compared the notes on a wide range of diplomatic issues in a timely manner. We are willing to maintain the closest communication with our Chinese partner and very much looking forward to the full resumption of face-to-face communication with China after the virus is reined in next year.