China welcomes improved Russia-US dialogue

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Photo: Getty

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Geng Shuang stated: "Russia and the United States are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and have great influence in the world. We are very pleased to see that the two sides are strengthening dialogue and bilateral relations. We believe this contributes to the goal of maintaining peace and stability, as well as promoting the international community's common response to global challenges."

Asked whether China was concerned about the impact of improved US-Russia relations on Beijing-Moscow relations, Geng said no. "Our relationship with Russia is based on mutual trust and firm support. Thanks to the personal role of the leaders of the two countries, China-Russia relations are at their highest level in history," he said.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate discussions on a range of security-related issues, including the situation in Iran and Venezuela. Following the talks, the parties agreed to take concrete steps on arms control. This is Mr. Pompeo's first visit to Russia since becoming US Secretary of State in March last year./.