Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is reported to be officially visiting China on the 8th and 9th, with a pivotal agenda slated for discussions with high-ranking Chinese officials, including Wang Yi (Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs). However, there is also a high likelihood that Lavrov will meet with Xi Jinping, the General Secretary and President of China.
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According to diplomatic sources in Beijing, citing the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the 7th, Minister Lavrov is visiting China at the invitation of Wang Yi. However, it’s not entirely impossible that the visit was decided at Russia’s request. Given Russia’s position, struggling to secure a clear victory in the war with Ukraine, it’s plausible that they requested the meeting first, in need of China’s help in one way or another.
The Foreign Ministers’ meeting, scheduled approximately six months after their last encounter in October, is anticipated to revolve around collaborative efforts on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), G20, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), as well as bilateral cooperation and joint initiatives on the global stage. They will also definitely exchange views on various current issues, including Ukraine and the situation in the Asia-Pacific region.
The two diplomatic leaders met in Moscow and Beijing in September and October last year to discuss international issues, such as the situation in the Gaza Strip and cooperation within multilateral organizations. Additionally, in January of this year, they discussed coordinating high-level contacts between the two countries over the phone. They agreed to expand strategic cooperation to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
With the ministers’ meeting, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, also announced on the ministry’s website that “At the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will officially visit China on the 8th and 9th.”
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