ISTANBUL

China and Russia, as major world powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, “bear important responsibilities” for maintaining global strategic stability, the Chinese foreign minister said.

In a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Monday, China’s Wang Yi said the two countries “pursue independent foreign policies,” according to a readout released by Beijing.

Wang is in Moscow to attend four-day China-Russia strategic security consultation.

“Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have maintained a healthy and stable development momentum, with pragmatic cooperation continuously deepening, people-to-people and cultural exchanges being rich and colorful, and personnel exchanges growing rapidly,” the Chinese foreign minister said.

“A Sino-Russian relationship featuring permanent good neighborliness, comprehensive strategic coordination, and mutually beneficial cooperation will continue to support the development and revitalization of both countries and bring important benefits to the two peoples,” he added.

Wang said Sino-Russia cooperation “does not target third parties, will not be interfered by third parties, and will not be influenced by third parties.”

“Faced with the rise of unilateral actions, hegemony and camp confrontation, China and Russia should follow the progressive trend of the times, demonstrate their responsibilities as major powers, fulfill their due international obligations, and continue to strengthen strategic coordination, adhere to true multilateralism, and promote world multipolarity, promote global governance in a more fair and reasonable direction,” said the Chinese foreign minister.

“Highly appreciating” the expansion of the BRICS group, the two sides expressed willingness to work together with all member countries to create a “larger BRICS” platform that is characterized by unity, cooperation and shared development, the statement added.