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Chinese premier in Moscow later this year
February 22, 2013, 11:37 pm

Chinese and Russian foreign ministers met in Moscow to prepare for Xi Jinping’s visit there later this year [Xinhua]

Chinese and Russian foreign ministers met in Moscow to prepare for Xi Jinping’s visit there later this year [Xinhua]

Yang Jiechi, China’s foreign minister arrived in Moscow on a two-day visit to discuss bilateral ties, international crises and prepare for new Premier Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia later this year.

At a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Friday, Jiechi said: “During the talks we have made substantial work for the political preparation for the Chinese President’s visit to Russia this year, as well as the joint participation of Russia’s and China’s heads of state in the BRICS summit in Durban.”

Lavrov said the frequency of high-level visits between Russia and China indicated the strength of their strategic partnership.

Both foreign ministers said they shared similar points of view about most of the world’s most pressing issues including Syria, Iran’s nuclear programme and North Korea.

While both countries condemned North Korea’s recent nuclear test, they nonetheless stood opposed to foreign military intervention.

“We are against the carrying out of a nuclear test in North Korea,” Jiechi said, “The UN Security Council should give an adequate response … but the action should be directed towards peace on the Korean peninsula,” he added.

Regarding Syria, both countries have urged dialogue as the only solution for the two-year civil war between President Bashar Al-Assad and the armed opposition rebels.

“Russia and China have united positions, and promote these united positions in negotiations, on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, including the Syrian crisis, Afghanistan, the Iranian nuclear program and other crises,” Lavrov said.

Agencies with additional reporting from Daria Chernyshova in Moscow