China ready to work with Russia to support each other on issues concerning core interests: Xi

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with Russia in extending strong support to each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, here on Thursday.

Xi met with Putin at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand to exchange views on China-Russia relations and international and regional issues of shared interest.

Since the beginning of this year, China and Russia have maintained effective strategic communication, Xi said.

Bilateral cooperation in various fields has moved forward steadily, with activities of the Year of Sports Exchanges well underway, and a robust momentum in sub-national cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

The two countries have maintained close coordination on the international stage to uphold basic norms of international relations, Xi said.

In the face of changes of the world, of the times and of history, China will work with Russia to fulfill their responsibilities as major countries and play a leading role in injecting stability into a world of change and disorder, Xi said.

He emphasized that China will work with Russia to deepen practical cooperation in trade, agriculture, connectivity and other areas.

The two sides need to enhance coordination under multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and the BRICS to promote solidarity and mutual trust among the various parties, expand practical cooperation, and safeguard the security interests of the region as well as the common interests of developing countries and emerging markets, Xi said.

Putin wished the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) a full success and said he believes that under the leadership of President Xi, China will keep making new achievements in economic and social development.

Putin noted that the world is undergoing multiple changes, yet the only thing that remains unchanged is the friendship and mutual trust between Russia and China, and that the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is as stable as mountains.

Both Russia and China stand for a more equitable and reasonable international order, setting a fine example in international relations, he said.

The Russian side is firmly committed to the one-China principle and condemns the provocative moves by individual countries on issues concerning China's core interests, he said.

Putin said Russia will consolidate and deepen bilateral and multilateral communication and collaboration with China, and expand cooperation in key areas such as economy, trade and energy.

Russia will work with China to promote continued, deeper cooperation among the SCO member states based on the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, so as to build an authoritative platform for upholding regional security and stability, he said.

Xi appreciated Russia's adherence to the one-China principle, stressing that Taiwan is part of China, that the Chinese side firmly opposes the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external interference, and that no country is entitled to act as a judge on the Taiwan question.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other officials attended the meeting.