Chinese FM meets with counterparts from India, Russia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan
Updated 10:28, 23-May-2019
CGTN
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‍Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his counterparts from India, Russia, Uzbekistan and Pakistan at a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday.

China to promote relations with the new Indian government

During the meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Wang Yi said China congratulates India on the smooth holding of the general election and hopes that India will form a new government as scheduled to achieve a smooth transition and greater development of bilateral relations.
In the new year, China and India should implement the important consensus reached by their leaders, plan for the celebration activities marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and promote stable and further development of bilateral relations, he said.
As a friend of both India and Pakistan, China urges the two sides to avoid escalation of the situation and jointly safeguard regional peace, Wang noted.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at SCO's ministerial meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. /Xinhua Photo

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at SCO's ministerial meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. /Xinhua Photo

As a response, Swaraj said India and China should work together to safeguard peace and tranquility of their border regions and push forward the stable development of bilateral relations.
She stressed that the new Indian government would continue to take developing relations with China as its diplomatic priority and further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields.

China, Russia to well prepare for Xi's visit 

During the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Wang said that the two sides should jointly prepare well for Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Russia. President Xi will also attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in June.
Taking the opportunity of celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two sides should push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries to a new era, Wang added.
Wang Yi (R) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. /Xinhua Photo

Wang Yi (R) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. /Xinhua Photo

Lavrov agreed that the meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of the SCO helps to send a positive signal to the world which will help to maintain the international system with the United Nations at its core, and resolutely preserve the international order with international law as its basis.
The two sides also exchanged views on major international and regional issues, such as the Venezuela crisis and the Iran nuclear deal issue.

China, Pakistan pledge to jointly combat terrorism

When meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Wang stressed that the two sides should further strengthen China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership so as to better cooperate within the frame of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He added that China appreciates Pakistan's work in anti-terrorism and believes that Pakistan will further maintain security cooperation with China.
For his part, Qureshi said that the two countries would jointly promote the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Wang Yi (R) meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of SCO's Foreign Ministers' meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. /Xinhua Photo

Wang Yi (R) meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of SCO's Foreign Ministers' meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 22, 2019. /Xinhua Photo

The two sides both believe that the Afghanistan issue could not be solved through military solutions, and political reconciliation is the only viable way.

Uzbekistan to deepen cooperation with China within BRI 

While meeting his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Kamilov, Wang said that China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to align their strategies and to expand cooperation in areas like trade, finance, and energy industry.
For his part, Kamilov said that Uzbekistan firmly adheres to the one-China policy, resolutely supports China's efforts in combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and is willing to enhance pragmatic cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative, and boost communication and coordination on affairs in the region.
The two sides also agreed to implement the consensuses reached during the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.  
Wang also proposed more high-level interactions, closer coordination, and joint efforts for the success of the SCO Bishkek summit.
The SCO was founded during a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The SCO comprises eight member states: China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
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