Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Russia and the broader international community on the Afghanistan issue.

Xi made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. 

Xi called for concerted efforts to encourage all factions in Afghanistan to build an open and inclusive political structure through consultation, implement moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, thoroughly dissociate from all terrorist groups, and maintain friendly relations with the rest of the world, especially neighboring countries. 

On bilateral relations, Xi said China and Russia have taken the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation as a new starting point to promote a series of new achievements in strategic cooperation and all-round practical cooperation between the two countries, which has provided support for the respective development of the two countries and played a pivotal role in uniting the international community to overcome the difficulties of the times. 

Xi also eyes deeper vaccine cooperation with Russia, saying that China is ready to work with Russia to deepen cooperation on vaccine development and production and ensure the safety and stability of the global supply chain for vaccines. 

"Only the wearer knows whether the shoes fit or not," Xi said. He elaborated that the peoples of China and Russia have the most to say about which system will work in the two countries. 

China and Russia, as comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era, should deepen cooperation against interference, Xi said, adding that the two countries should firmly keep their respective future in their own hands. 

He called on the two sides to take this year's 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an opportunity to work together with member states to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, increase mutual support, and safeguard the security and development interests of the countries in the region. 

Putin, for his part, said Russia firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports China's legitimate position of safeguarding its core interests on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, the South China Sea, and so on, and firmly opposes interference in China's internal affairs by any external forces. 

Russia is opposed to the politicization of COVID-19 origin tracing and hopes to work with China to continuously deepen practical cooperation in various fields and strengthen collaboration against the pandemic, said Putin. 

On Afghanistan issue, Putin said Russia and China share similar stances and common interests.  

"Russia is ready to communicate and coordinate closely with China, actively participate in multilateral mechanisms related to Afghanistan, promote smooth transition in the country, combat terrorism, cut off drug trafficking, prevent spillover of security risks from Afghanistan, resist intervention and destruction by external forces, and maintain regional security and stability." 

The two leaders believed that it's very necessary for China and Russia to maintain communication on major bilateral and multilateral issues and agreed to keep close contact via various means.