Chinese President Xi Meets Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Over Bilateral Relations

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, according to state media. The meeting took place in the Great Hall of the People, where Xi urged Russia and China to strengthen their strategic coordination.

Xi emphasized the importance of defending legitimate interests and maintaining unity among Global South countries. He also highlighted the significance of China-Russia relations in an increasingly complex international landscape.

During the meeting, Lavrov confirmed that he had previously discussed the conflict in the Middle East and the Ukraine war with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday. The two leaders also touched on other geopolitical issues.

Xi’s comments did not explicitly mention the US-Israel conflict in Iran, but they appeared to reference concerns about a potential global food crisis due to the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. The strait has been blocked by Iran since February 28, and the US military has now completely blocked Iranian ports as part of its efforts to force Tehran to accept US conditions for a ceasefire.

Lavrov stated that Russia could provide energy assistance to China if shipping through the strait remains restricted. Before meeting with Xi, Lavrov had also met with Wang Yi on Tuesday.

Xi’s visit to Beijing was part of a series of meetings with top leaders from around the world, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Chinese leader signed several cooperation agreements during his visit, which included talks with Vietnamese President To Lam.

Source: Al Jazeera