Political mutual trust between China and Russia, along with both countries' joint efforts to promote a multipolar world, was further enhanced as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Beijing on Wednesday.

Witnessed by the two leaders, China and Russia issued two joint statements. One focused on further strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, while the other pledged joint efforts to advance a more just and equitable world order.

Noting Putin's two-day state visit marked his 25th trip to China, Li Yongquan, director of Eurasian Social Development Research at the Development Research Center of the State Council, told China Media Group (CMG) that the visit came at a time of profound changes in the international landscape. He added that against the backdrop of rising anti-globalization sentiment, both China and Russia face a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues that require closer coordination.

A new stage

During the meeting, Xi told Putin that "the China-Russia relationship has entered a new stage of greater achievements and faster development."

According to Li, the "new stage" refers not only to changes in the international landscape but also to a new phase in which pragmatic cooperation between the two countries is expected to deepen and upgrade.

Noting Putin was accompanied by senior officials and CEOs, including Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin, Central Bank governor Elvira Nabiullina and top executives of Russia's largest companies, Li said both countries have many projects to discuss in terms of aligning development strategies and coordinating sector-specific strategies. 

Besides the two joint statements, dozens of cooperation documents were signed in the presence of the two heads of state on Wednesday, signaling future bilateral collaboration in areas ranging from trade and urban development to education and media.

A guidance for bilateral relations

The China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, which reached its 25th anniversary of signing this year, has been extended under the joint statement on further strengthening comprehensive strategic coordination and deepening good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation.

Li said the joint statement focuses on deepening bilateral relations, emphasizing that there are no political issues between the two countries that cannot be resolved and that political mutual trust remains at a very high level.

Noting the scale of bilateral trade today is vastly different from what it was 25 years ago when the treaty was signed, and also from 30 years ago, when the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries was first established, Li said it is necessary to continuously deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, adding that the joint statement provides important guidance toward that goal.

Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, also highlighted the importance of the statement, saying it underscored both sides' commitment to advancing bilateral relations toward higher-quality development, particularly through stronger cooperation in politics, trade and economy, people-to-people exchanges and international affairs.

Advancing global governance

Regarding the second joint statement on promoting a multipolar world and a new type of international relations, Li said the document focuses on how China and Russia can strengthen coordination in building a multipolar world.

According to the joint statement, since the end of World War II, the international landscape has undergone changes, including a growing number of sovereign states and the rising threats of unilateralism and hegemonism. 

Against this backdrop, the joint statement said China and Russia call on the international community to uphold key principles in promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and building a new type of international relations, including a more just and equitable global governance system. These principles include openness, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as promoting the democratization of international relations and improving the global governance system.

Over the past decades, China and Russia have jointly promoted the establishment of mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. They also coordinate within multilateral platforms like the United Nations and APEC, advocating greater representation for Global South countries in global governance and promoting a more multipolar and inclusive international order.

Sun said the joint statement clearly sets out the shared position of China and Russia on current international affairs and the global landscape, jointly advocating a new type of international relations characterized by fairness and justice, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.