Samarkand, 14 April 2023 (TDI): Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of China Qin Gang held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 4th Neighbours of Afghanistan meeting in Uzbekistan.
The purpose of the meeting was to address Afghanistan’s current circumstances and China and Russia’s commitments. The two foreign ministers reviewed the security situation in Afghanistan, which has deteriorated substantially in recent years.
Lavrov stressed the necessity of assisting the Afghan people in their efforts to maintain peace and stability. He underlined China’s and Russia’s contributions to regional stabilization and cooperation.
Qin Gang stated China’s commitment to assisting Afghanistan in sustaining peace and stability. He pointed out that China and Russia are jointly interested in supporting regional peace and tranquility. He further affirmed that the two countries would continue collaborating to attain this goal.
The two Foreign Ministers also examined the significance of economic development in Afghanistan and the need for increased investment there. They agreed that China and Russia would be crucial in assisting Afghanistan’s economic development through investment and trade.
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The ministers also discussed the implementation of the agreements reached during the talks between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Xi Jinping of China during the Chinese leader’s state visit to Russia on 20-21 March 2023. They reviewed the current situation in Ukraine and its environs.
They examined several crucial regional and global subjects, including Central Asian developments and Eurasian integration movements.
Both ministers reiterated their determination to strengthen engagement and coordination within multilateral formats involving the two nations, such as the UN, SCO, and BRICS. They also pledged to coordinate integration efforts across the Eurasian continent.
Both countries asserted that they share identical perspectives on the mentioned issues.
They unanimously opposed the democratization of international relations, interference in other countries domestic affairs, and extortion and intimidation to enforce unilateral policies.
Both ministers commended the strong cooperation between China and Russia. They agreed to work together more closely in the future.
