Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov thanked his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi for the invitation to visit Beijing "precisely at this moment" when "a festive atmosphere is felt" everywhere "on the occasion of the beginning of the Year of the Tiger under the lunar calendar."
"I am especially pleased with that because the Year of the Tiger is my year," Lavrov said.
"Tomorrow the opening ceremony of the 24th Winter Olympic Games will be held. This is a bright event and I am confident that it will vividly demonstrate your country’s ability to the entire international community once again to organize and hold major international events," the Russian foreign minister said.
According to Lavrov, self-sufficient and sustainable relations between Moscow and Beijing are immune to situational political considerations and are not aimed against third countries. "Our relationships rest on a broad public consensus in both countries. They are self-sufficient and sustainable, are not influenced by political considerations and are not aimed against any third countries," Russia’s top diplomat emphasized.
Moscow highly appreciates "the unprecedented level of interaction" with the Chinese partners and also "firm mutual support," Lavrov pointed out. "We have very close work between our diplomatic agencies. It helps bolster stability and predictability in international affairs," the Russian foreign minister went on to say, addressing his Chinese counterpart.
"I am glad to have this opportunity to see you personally once again. As you have said, this will make it possible, in the run-up to a visit by [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin to the People’s Republic of China beginning tomorrow, to substantially discuss all the issues that require our attention and exchange opinions, as this is especially necessary amid a swiftly changing agenda. This will be the first face-to-face meeting [of the leaders of both countries] over more than two years due to the coronavirus," Lavrov said.
