Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s meeting with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Ma Zhaoxu

On February 2, Sergey Lavrov received Ma Zhaoxu, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.

During the meeting, Sergey Lavrov highly praised the current state of relations between Russia and China, which are developing dynamically in accordance with the agreements reached at the meeting of the two countries' leaders on December 30, 2022. Their practical implementation was discussed.

In view of the lifting of quarantine restrictions, there was agreement on the expediency of restoring the tempo of face-to-face contacts, mutual tourism, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries as soon as possible.

A number of topical issues on the bilateral, global and regional agendas were discussed. The constructive dialogue and high level of bilateral coordination within the UN, BRICS, SCO and other international organisations and associations was praised as fully corresponding to the partnership and trust-based nature of relations between our countries. They noted their rejection of confrontational policies, as well as attempts by individual countries to interfere in the internal affairs of other states, or to restrain their development by imposing sanctions and other illegitimate methods. The officials reaffirmed their intention to reliably defend the sovereignty, security, and development interests of the two countries, and to build together a more just and democratic multipolar world order.

The conversation took place in a traditionally friendly atmosphere.