Russia relationship better than an alliance, Chinese foreign minister says
- Wang Yi advocates pushing the partnership to new heights as he marks 20th anniversary of friendship treaty with Moscow
- He reiterates Beijing’s opposition to hegemony and a new cold war
Speaking at a reception in Beijing on Sunday marking the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation, Wang Yi said China and Russia had “built strong strategic support for mutual security and development” and would “always be each other’s strong backers”.
He said the two countries should “further deepen political mutual trust” and “push the comprehensive strategic partnership in a new era, which is not allies but better than allies, to new heights”, according to a transcript published by the Chinese foreign ministry.
“We must further strengthen strategic collaboration and firmly build a strong pillar for maintaining world peace and security,” Wang said. “We will hold high the banner of multilateralism, oppose hegemony and power politics, counter the new cold war and group conflicts.”
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China, Russia foreign ministers meet as countries stand ‘back to back’ amid rise in US tensions
Locked in rivalries with the US and its allies, China and Russia are presenting an increasingly united front in response.