Chinese Foreign Minister reaffirms commitment to enhancing cooperation with Russia on maritime affairs
Beijing, Oct 12 (KUNA) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi affirmed on Monday his country’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Russia in the field of international maritime affairs, contributing to the preservation of maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region and ensuring the smooth flow of navigation through vital global sea lanes. This came during a meeting held in Beijing between Wang and Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the Russian President and Chairman of the Security Council’s Committee on Maritime Affairs, during which both sides exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest.
Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang as saying that the seas serve as a “blue link” connecting the peoples of the world and are closely tied to the security and long-term development of countries, in a world undergoing major transformations unseen for a century. He highlighted the growing importance of maritime cooperation within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, emphasizing the need to respect the sovereignty and security of states bordering international sea lanes, maintain the stability of energy and resource supplies, and ensure the security of production and supply chains.
Wang added that China and Russia, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, bear significant responsibilities in international maritime affairs and enjoy broad prospects for cooperation in this field. He expressed Beijing’s readiness to work with Moscow to enhance alignment between their maritime strategies and protect their legitimate maritime rights and interests.
He noted that China’s initiative to build the “Polar Silk Road” aligns with Russia’s efforts to develop Arctic sea routes, stressing the need to intensify exchanges and cooperation on maritime and Arctic affairs and to activate what he described as the “blue engine” for developing China-Russia relations.
For his part, Patrushev said during the meeting that the Russia-China partnership at the current stage has become more important than ever, expressing Moscow’s desire to deepen cooperation in implementing the International North-South Transport Corridor project, enhance multilateral ocean governance, and leverage Chinese expertise in shipbuilding, logistics, and maritime trade. (End) S.L.Q./H.M.F.
