Moscow/Beijing: China and Russia are “friends forever, never enemies”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated during his visit to Moscow, emphasizing the enduring nature of their strategic partnership. His remarks, published on Tuesday, also welcomed signs of improving relations between Washington and Moscow.
“The principle of ‘friends forever, never enemies’ serves as a solid legal basis for advancing strategic cooperation at a higher level,” Wang told Russia’s state-run RIA news agency in an interview.
Wang is in Moscow for a three-day visit focused on strengthening strategic cooperation. His trip comes amid ongoing uncertainty regarding ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of both Russian and Ukrainian leadership.
Deepening China-Russia Ties
China and Russia declared a “no limits” strategic partnership just days before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin have met over 40 times in the past decade, reinforcing their collaboration on issues including Taiwan, Ukraine, and their shared tensions with the United States.
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that Putin would meet with Wang, who is also scheduled to hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. Wang underscored that major global powers have a responsibility to act as stabilizing forces, and he expressed optimism over recent efforts by Russia and the United States to improve their bilateral ties.
The Kremlin also indicated that Russia and the U.S. were working on ideas for a potential peace settlement in Ukraine and strengthening their relationship. Since taking office in January, Trump has shifted toward a more conciliatory approach toward Russia.
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“This is beneficial for stabilizing the balance of power among major nations and brings optimism to an otherwise challenging international landscape,” RIA quoted Wang as saying.
Wang also dismissed claims that Trump was attempting to bolster Russia to position it against China, calling such notions a “relapse of obsolete confrontational and bloc thinking.”
China’s Role in Ukraine Peace Talks
Wang emphasized that recent discussions surrounding a ceasefire in Ukraine had already yielded some progress and should continue, despite ongoing battlefield challenges and diverging views.
“The step toward peace, although not that big, is constructive—it is worth building upon,” Wang stated. “Achieving peace requires effort; it is no pain, no gain.”
He stressed that any peace agreement must be legally binding and acceptable to all parties, reaffirming Beijing’s willingness to play a role in settling the conflict in Ukraine.
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Xi has advocated for China’s greater involvement in peace negotiations since the early days of the war, which marked its third anniversary in February. Beijing, both independently and in collaboration with Brazil, has proposed general principles for resolving the conflict, but these initiatives have received limited international support.
“We advocate eradicating the root causes of the crisis through dialogue and negotiations, ultimately achieving a fair, long-term, and binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties,” Wang reiterated.
