CHINA’S President Xi Jinping said today that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape riven with change and chaos.

During a meeting with veteran Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Beijing, President Xi said the strong vitality and exemplary significance of the friendship treaty between the two countries stand out more in such challenging times.

President Xi said that China and Russia need to use closer and stronger strategic collaboration to defend the legitimate interests of both nations and safeguard the unity of global South countries, according to the CCTV news agency. 

The Chinese president also called for the two countries to showcase the responsibility and commitment of being major powers and permanent members of the United Nations security council.

President Xi said the two nations must “firmly uphold and practice multilateralism, work together to revitalise the authority and vitality of the United Nations and promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.”

The remarks from President Xi came as the administration of United States President Donald Trump continues to create chaos and uncertainty across the globe.

The increasingly unstable environment had led China and Russia to deepen relations in recent years, particularly through the Brics block — pioneered by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and regional bodies such as the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation.

President Xi said the current environment meant China and Russia should continue to trust and support each other.

He said: “Facing changes unseen in a century, China and Russia, through even stronger strategic co-ordination, firmly safeguard the legitimate interests of both countries and defend the unity of global South nations.”

CCTV reported that Mr Lavrov said Russian-Chinese relations demonstrated high resilience in a complex external environment, pointing to good momentum in trade and investment cooperation and close co-ordination in the UN and other multilateral platforms.

Mr Lavrov, who has been Russia’s top diplomat since 2004, said that Russia is willing to work with China to uphold international fairness and justice, push their ties to achieve greater development and make greater contributions to world peace, among other goals, CCTV said.

Mr Lavrov arrived in China on Tuesday for a two-day trip at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.