On October 13, 2011, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of China and Russia held consultations at the vice foreign ministerial level on the Middle East and African affairs in Beijing. Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov. Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun held talks with Bogdanov.
The two sides spoke highly of the positive results China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation has achieved and had an in-depth exchange of views on the current overall situation in the Middle East and Africa as well as relevant hotspot issues. Both sides agreed that China and Russia share a wide range of common interests in safeguarding stability and promoting development in the Middle East and Africa. The two sides should further strengthen coordination and cooperation and make joint efforts with countries and organizations in the region as well as the international community to ease the hotspot issues as soon as possible, promote peace, stability and development in the Middle East, Africa and the world at large and continuously enhance the level of China-Russia strategic cooperative partnership.
