Russian ambassador: Belt and Road will deepen bilateral ties

Special: 2nd Belt and Road Forum

(ECNS) -- Andrey Ivanovich Denisov, Russia's ambassador to China, said that Russia and China are role models for a stable partnership on the international stage in this complicated world fraught with change.

Denisov made the remarks in an interview ahead of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, from April 25 to 27.

He said Russia and China have forged a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, the two countries are cooperating at all levels and in all fields, and the bilateral ties are not limited to temporary interests but focus on the long term.

The two countries are aware that the world is in a new historical period and that Russia-China relations will be further strengthened, said the ambassador, who expected the Belt and Road forum to increase high-level exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between Russia and China and lead to more accomplishments.

Denisov said Russia is looking forward to further deepening the alignment of Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union and China's Belt and Road Initiative during the forum.

"Currently, we focus on infrastructure construction, including new transportation routes and the development of economic zones. This is the first phase of synergizing. In the future, Russia expects to integrate all projects in the Eurasian Economic Union with the Belt and Road as we explore new, open and inclusive cooperation models covering all economic fields, and we welcome all countries to join," he said.

The ambassador also said that he hopes more people will understand that building the Belt and Road requires everyone to work together.

Quoting a line from President Xi Jinping in Chinese, “Lu Qi Xiu Zi Jia You Gan,” which means, “rolling up our sleeves to work harder,” the ambassador said he looks forward to deepening cooperation between Russia and China and other parties under the Belt and Road framework.