China, Russia vow to safeguard regional peace, stability

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu pledged here on Wednesday to safeguard regional peace, security and stability.

Wei and Shoigu made the remarks during their meeting on the sidelines of a meeting of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and profound changes across the globe, China-Russia relations have shown great resilience and become a very important stabilizing force for today's world, Wei said.

He noted that the two heads of state jointly announced the extension of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation during their talks via video link in June, demonstrating to the world the common will of the two countries to carry forward the spirit of the treaty, strengthen good-neighborliness and friendship, and firmly support each other.

Wei said the two countries should continue to strengthen all-round and all-weather strategic coordination, and maintain the steady and high-level development of China-Russia relations.

In response to the changing situation in Afghanistan and Central Asia, and to jointly fight terrorism, the two sides should coordinate each other's position, reach consensuses, strengthen cooperation, concert actions, resolutely safeguard the core interests of China and Russia, and firmly uphold international equity and justice as well as regional security and stability, he added.

For his part, Shoigu stressed that Russia's relationship with China is an important priority of its foreign relations.

In recent years, cooperation between the two militaries has been continuously expanding and has achieved fruitful results, reaching an unprecedentedly high level and setting an example for countries around the world, he said.

Shoigu said Russia is willing to further strengthen military and military-technological cooperation with China, and maintain the sound momentum of bilateral cooperation in joint exercises and training, army games and exchanges between military academies.

At a time when there are increasing uncertainties in the regional security situation, Russia pays close attention to the new developments in Afghanistan and Central Asia, and attaches great importance to China's position on the Afghan issue, he said.

Russia is ready to coordinate and cooperate with China and other countries in the region to make positive efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability, he added.