Russia sees potential for strengthening ties with China within BRICS, SCO — Lavrov
MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. Russia sees potential to work more closely with China in the BRICS group of nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"Productive work has been carried out through the interregional council of the Russian-Chinese Committee of Friendship, Peace and Development. We see additional opportunities for interaction on international platforms with the participation of our regions," the top diplomat said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Subjects of the Russian Federation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"First of all, this is BRICS, where Russia is presiding this year, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, where on the initiative of the Chelyabinsk Region a useful format has been created - an annual forum of heads of regions from the SCO member countries," Lavrov explained.
"We go off the premise that the potential of interregional cooperation is far from exhausted, while the new international realities open up broad opportunities for its further development and [ways] to use it in practice," the top diplomat emphasized.
According to Lavrov, the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society as well as the Chinese People's Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries go a long way toward building relations.