BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- On August 7, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Minister of Foreign Affairs, had a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

　　Wang Yi said that since Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in March this year, the two countries have made new progress in strategic collaboration and practical cooperation, with bilateral trade reaching a new record high, energy cooperation steadily developing, and people-to-people exchanges rapidly resuming. Facts have proved that China and Russia are trustworthy and reliable friends and partners. The most important task for the two sides now is to continue to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and to push forward the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era at a high level.

　　Wang Yi said that in the international and multilateral arenas, China and Russia will continue to work closely and strategically to promote the process of multipolarity in the world and the democratization of international relations, as well as safeguarding the basic norms of international relations, which is an international responsibility that China and Russia should bear and a proper part of the China-Russia partnership of comprehensive strategic cooperation. The BRICS mechanism has followed the trend of the times and has demonstrated great vitality. More than 20 countries have expressed their wish to join the BRICS, and the process of expanding its membership has become a natural and inevitable step. China is ready to work with its BRICS partners, including the Russian Federation, to support South Africa in organizing the upcoming BRICS leaders' meeting and to promote the healthy and dynamic development of the BRICS mechanism.

　　Lavrov said that Russia is ready to work with China to implement the important results of President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in March this year, strengthen strategic coordination, deepen practical cooperation and promote the two countries' relations to achieve new results. Russia is ready to work with China to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation under the multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to oppose hegemony, resist unilateralism, promote the process of democratization of international relations, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

　　Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, including the crisis in Ukraine. Wang emphasized that on the Ukrainian crisis, China will, on all international and multilateral occasions, uphold an independent and impartial stance, issue objective and rational voices, actively promote peace and talks, and strive to seek a political solution. Lavrov said the Russian side highly endorses the position paper put forward by China on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, and appreciates and welcomes the constructive role played by China in this regard.

　　(Source: Xinhuanet)

　　http://www.news.cn/world/2023-08/07/c_1129791516.htm