JOHANNESBURG, Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming State visit to China is of great significance in the planning of the next-phase growth of China-Russia relations, says China's top diplomat, Wang Yi.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks here Sunday while meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Formal Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BRICS grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

President Putin is scheduled to pay a State visit to China from Friday to Sunday and attend the Qingdao Summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) in eastern Shandong province, said Wang.

It will be President Putin's first visit to China in a new presidential term and it will also be the first time for President Xi Jinping and President Putin to meet each other this year, which will be of great significance to the planning of the development of China-Russia relations in the next phase, Wang added.

China is willing to enhance co-ordination with the Russian side in order to ensure that the visit will be successful and fruitful and inject strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations, he said.

Lavrov said Russia attached great importance to President Putin's upcoming state visit to China. Russia is pleased with the progress in preparations for the visit and stands ready to make joint efforts with China to ensure that the visit will meet its expected goals, said Lavrov.

During the talks, the Chinese foreign minister also said that faced with an ever-changing international landscape that is full of uncertainties, China and Russia, as comprehensive strategic partners of co-ordination, should further strengthen co-ordination and co-operation to uphold the fundamental principles of international relations, maintain international fairness and justice and protect the overall interests of emerging markets and developing countries.

China and Russia should make joint efforts to ensure that the SCO Qingdao Summit, which will be the first such summit after the SCO admitted new members, continues to promote the "Shanghai Spirit", achieve positive and practical outcomes and send out a message of solidarity, said Wang.

The two countries should strengthen strategic co-ordination on the platform of BRICS co-operation, hold well the Formal Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs and make good political preparations for the upcoming leaders' summit in July, Wang added.

Lavrov said that Russia fully agrees with China in its thoughts about the current international situation and is willing to strengthen co-ordination with China in multilateral mechanisms such as the SCO, BRICS co-operation, the Group of 20 and the United Nations.

Russia will make joint efforts with other emerging market countries to oppose unilateralism and protectionism and to safeguard world peace and stability, said Lavrov.

During their meeting, the two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and agreed to further enhance co-ordination and co-operation to make efforts towards and contribute to the realization of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula of lasting peace and stability. -- NNN-XINHUA

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK