ISTANBUL

The foreign ministers of Russia and China on Monday voiced their rejection of West's “confrontational policy” toward their countries during a phone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Sergey Lavrov congratulated his Chinese counterpart on assuming charge, and both “appreciated the progressive development of Russian-Chinese relations, which demonstrate stability and positive dynamics in the context of general geopolitical instability on the planet."

“The ministers discussed a number of topical issues on the international agenda," a statement said, adding: "There was a general rejection of the confrontational policy of the Western bloc towards Russia and China, attempts to restrain their development through sanctions and other illegitimate methods."

Lavrov and Wang gave a “positive assessment” of the dialogue between Moscow and Beijing at international platforms, and touched on a number of regional topics, including the Ukraine war.

Wang, who remained China's top diplomat from 2013 to 2022, was reappointed to the post after the dismissal of Qin Gang on July 25.

The Chinese and Russian presidents, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, announced a "no limits" partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics, just days before he launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

China was among more than 40 countries which took part in international talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the weekend aimed at peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The talks excluded Russia.