China, Russia vow firm mutual support

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Brasilia, Brazil, Nov. 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, held a phone conversation on Wednesday, vowing that the two countries will firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty.

Xi noted that in late June Russia successfully held a military parade at the Red Square to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War, demonstrating to the world its firm resolve to remember history and safeguard peace.

Soldiers march during the military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn)

Recently, Russia smoothly carried out a referendum and passed a set of constitutional amendments with a large majority vote, Xi said, adding that it has fully reflected the Russian people's support for the Russian government and approval of its governance philosophy.

China will, as always, firmly support Russia's development path that fits its own national conditions and staunchly support Russia in accelerating its development and revitalization, he said.

Noting that the international situation is changing rapidly, Xi stressed that it is very necessary for China and Russia, as comprehensive strategic partners of coordination, to strengthen strategic communication and cooperation.

The Chinese side, he added, is willing to continue working with the Russian side in firmly supporting each other, rejecting external sabotage and intervention, well preserving their respective sovereignty, security and development rights, and well safeguarding their shared interests.

Xi pointed out that at the most difficult time in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Russia supported and helped each other, which has further enriched the strategic significance of their relations in the new era.

While dealing with the coronavirus epidemic for a relatively long period of time, the two sides should explore flexible and diverse means to speed up the resumption of work and production in all fields of bilateral cooperation, suggested the Chinese president.

He added that they should also seize the opportunity of the China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation to fast-track collaboration in such fields as advanced technology, research and development of vaccine and drugs, as well as biosecurity, so as to continuously lift China-Russia ties to higher levels and boost their respective development for the benefit of both peoples.

China, Xi said, stands ready to work with Russia to continuously intensify coordination within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, safeguard multilateralism, oppose hegemonism and unilateralism, defend international fairness and justice, and make greater contributions to improving global governance and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Officers and soldiers of the Chinese warship Linyi wave goodbye to Russian vessels at the end of the "Joint Sea-2019" exercises in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, May 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

For his part, Putin said the large majority vote for the constitutional amendments in the recent referendum will help Russia maintain long-term political stability, better defend national sovereignty and oppose foreign interference.

Russia and China, he added, both value their own national sovereignty and security and have firmly supported each other all the time, as has been demonstrated once again both by their mutual support in the difficult moments during the pandemic, and by the recent participation by the Chinese People's Liberation Army honor guard in Russia's Red Square parade.

Russia-China relations are at their best in history, Putin said, stressing that Russia firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, opposes all kinds of provocative actions that violate China's sovereignty, and believes China is fully capable of ensuring long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong.

Noting that Russia regards its relations with China as the top foreign policy priority, he said his country is willing to work with China to continuously push forward bilateral practical cooperation in various fields, strengthen strategic communication and coordination within such frameworks as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the United Nations, and safeguard global strategic stability and security.

In addition, the Russian president conveyed his sympathies over the flooding and geological disasters in multiple places in South China, and Xi expressed his gratitude for that.