China-Russia cooperation not targeted at any third party: premier

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Oct. 25, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

BISHKEK -- China-Russia cooperation is not targeted at any third party, nor will it be disturbed by any third party, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here on Wednesday.

The two sides carry out bilateral cooperation with an aim to benefit their people, promote global development, and uphold fairness and justice, Li said when meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States.

Li said the recent meeting between President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Beijing has charted a new blueprint and opened up a new vision for the advancement of China-Russia relations.

China is willing to work with Russia to follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, continuously deepen cooperation in various fields and push forward the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, he added.

China, Li said, is willing to further align its development strategies with Russia, promote synergy between the Belt and Road cooperation and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), maintain the growth momentum of cooperation on trade and investment, deepen cooperation in the field of energy, and enhance connectivity and trade liberalization and facilitation.

China welcomes more high-quality Russian products into the Chinese market and supports enterprises from China and Russia in deepening cooperation on automobile manufacturing, the premier said.

The two sides should jointly make the China-Russia years of culture a success and expand exchanges in education, regions and other fields, he added.

China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Russia within the SCO framework, promote in-depth cooperation in the industrial and supply chains, expand cooperation in industrial manufacturing, green development and digital economy, and provide new driving forces for regional economic growth, Li said.

For his part, Mishustin congratulated China on successfully hosting the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, saying that the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era is at an unprecedented high level.

Russia is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, support each other in safeguarding core interests, promote the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the EEU, and expand cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, energy and connectivity, he said.

Mishustin added that Russia stands ready to make a success of the Russia-China years of culture, deepen cooperation within the SCO, BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms, and promote the multi-polarization of the world.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Oct. 25, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]