Yang Jiechi (2nd R), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (2nd L) during the 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, Feb. 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials of China and Russia agreed to work together to safeguard common interests and promote bilateral cooperation at a meeting here on Saturday on the sidelines of the 55th Munich Security Conference.
The meeting was between Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Both delivered keynote speeches during the three-day security forum, which opened Friday in the Bavarian capital of Munich, southern Germany.
During the meeting, Yang said that thanks to the strategic leadership and personal promotion of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between China and Russia has developed greatly.
Political trust between the two countries has been consolidated with bilateral trade volume reaching a historic high, Yang said, adding that both sides have also achieved important cooperative outcomes in areas such as interconnection and energy.
All these outcomes, Yang noted, have not only brought substantive benefits to both peoples, but also are conducive to peace, stability, security and development in their region and the world as a whole.
Yang said Chinese and Russian heads of state will continue to maintain close exchanges as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year.
He said that the Chinese side will make joint efforts with the Russian side to implement all consensuses reached between the two heads of state and keep expanding comprehensive cooperation in all fields to safeguard the bilateral relationship and common interests.
Lavrov, for his part, told Yang that the Russian side has attached great importance to the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries.
The bilateral relationship has achieved great progress through joint efforts, he added, citing frequent contacts between top leaders of both sides and a record-high mutual trade volume worth over 100 billion U.S. dollars as examples.
Russia's top diplomat said that his country will work with China to prepare well for the exchanges between both heads of state through this year as well as practical cooperation in various fields so as to promote a more fruitful bilateral relationship.
Yang and Lavrov also exchanged views on regional and international hotspot issues of mutual concern.
