As Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is on an official visit to China from April 8-9, following talks with his counterpart, they held a joint press conference in Beijing today. 

According to the official news channel for the Russian Foreign Ministry on Telegram, both ministers signed a plan for inter-ministry of Foreign Affairs consultations for 2024 following negotiations.

Dialogue on the creation of Eurasian security 

Lavrov announced that Russia and China have agreed to begin a dialogue on the creation of Eurasian security. 

"The task of forming Eurasian security is called for. [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin mentioned this in his address to the Federal Assembly. Our Chinese friends and I have agreed to start a dialogue, with the involvement of other like-minded [countries], on this issue," Lavrov said.

He added that a common goal for Russia and China is to strengthen security in Eurasia, while the existing platforms of Euro-Atlantic security, NATO, and the OSCE, have "exhausted themselves as relevant structures capable of any meaningful negotiation based on the balance of interests."

Strengthening multilateral interaction 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Russia and China will support each other and strengthen multilateral interaction, highlighting that Beijing will also back the stable development of Russia under the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Within the framework of Russia’s chairmanship in BRICS and China’s chairmanship in the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organisation] from the second half of the year, we will provide each other with strong support and increase our multilateral interaction," Wang said during a meeting with his Russian counterpart. 

Moscow and Beijing will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation on the world stage, he added.

Wang again reiterated congratulations on behalf of China to the Russians on Putin's reelection with a "record level of support."

"As Russia's friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, we will resolutely support Russia's stable development and revival under the leadership of President Putin," he added.

Non-confrontation to third parties

According to Wang, Beijing and Moscow must stick to the principles of non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties. "The parties [China and Russia] must adhere to the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-direction against third parties."

He stressed that it is vital to oppose all forms of hegemony and intimidation, the Cold War mentality, provoking division and confrontation.

Taiwan and NATO

From his end, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that on the issue of Taiwan, Russia and China are united in rejecting any outside interference.

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"On the situation around Taiwan, which is an integral part of China, we are united with Beijing in rejecting any interference from the outside as this is China's internal affair," Lavrov said at a joint press conference.

As for the Korean Peninsula, both sides expressed interest in its stability, the Russian minister announced.

"We talked a lot about goals of facilitating security and stability in the Asia–Pacific region amid US policy of creating limited-membership military-political alliances there," Lavrov said, emphasizing that these alliances are openly hostile toward both countries. 

Wang also said that China is against NATO's interference in the Asia Pacific and opposes the promotion of confrontation of blocs within regions.

"It is necessary to pursue true multipolarity and stand against 'narrow circles' engaged in bloc confrontation, which is especially topical for the Asia-Pacific region where we are located. NATO should not extend its hands to our common home," Wang said.

He stressed that any kind of declarations or actions that support confrontation are unpopular and do not have a future in the Asia Pacific region.

On unilateral sanctions 

China's top diplomat labeled unilateral sanctions as an act of intimidation, emphasizing that China and Russia are against this mechanism and that all countries must unite to oppose it.

"Unilateral sanctions are a typical act of intimidation, which violates international law, a fair and legitimate international order, and also goes against the trend of world development and progress," he said. 

"China strongly opposes this [the use of unilateral sanctions], Russia strongly opposes it, and all countries must unite to jointly oppose it."

On Ukraine

The Chinese Foreign Minister also said that China stands by the idea of convening a peace conference on Ukraine, including the equal participation of all parties and a discussion of all peace plans.

"We hope for a soon ceasefire. China supports the timely convening of an international conference to which both Russia and Ukraine would agree, with the equal participation of all parties and a fair discussion of all peace plans," he said. 

Wang Yi further highlighted the international responsibility that falls on China and Russia, as large countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, to deal with pressing issues.

Russia and China both concluded during the meeting that international conferences on Ukraine that neglect Russia’s position are inefficient.

"We and our Chinese friends clearly state the need to take into account the legitimate concerns of all parties involved [in the Ukrainian crisis], above all in the area of security," Lavrov said.

"In this context, my Chinese colleagues and I have confirmed the conclusion that there is no prospect of any international events that do not take Russia's position into account, but completely ignore it, that promote the completely empty, ultimatum-based so-called [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky peace formula and are thus completely detached from any realities," he emphasized.  

Ukraine's attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Lavrov addressed the Ukrainian attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) and announced that Russia is interested in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Secretariat.

"We are interested in cooperation both with the IAEA and the UN Secretariat, but of course, we will seek honest recognition of what is happening not only related to the Zaporizhzhia NPP but also concerning Ukraine in general," he said. 

He added that Russia would address the issue at special meetings of the IAEA executive board and of the UN Security Council, emphasizing that the Russian side would "insist on the need to obtain direct assessments of the actions of the Ukrainian regime."

"So far, provocations by the Ukrainian regime, to our great regret, have caused only regret and concern in the statements of the IAEA director general and his staff, who refrained from saying the obvious: from where and by whom these terrorist strikes had been prepared and carried out," Lavrov said.

The ZNPP attack

The press office of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP)'s announced on April 7 that Ukrainian kamikaze drones attacked the plant immediately after an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection. 

According to the statement, the drone strike was "recorded in the canteen sector located on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. A truck unloading food was damaged...Another strike was recorded in the cargo port."

The incident occurred 20 minutes after IAEA officials examined the nuclear power station, the statement added.

The Zaporizhzhia NPP's press staff informed Sputnik that no extra background radiation was registered following the attack.