On April 13, 2023 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Samarkand.

Qin Gang noted that the successful state visit to Russia by President Xi Jinping not long ago achieved fruitful results, providing strategic and fundamental guidance for deepening China-Russia relations in the new era. China is ready to work with Russia to implement the common understandings between the two heads of state as a core task, and maintain high-level development of bilateral relations. Qin said that the two sides need to maintain high-level exchanges and uphold political mutual trust, translate into concrete results as soon as possible the Pre-2030 Development Plan on Priorities in China-Russia Economic Cooperation signed by the two heads of state, and guide the high-quality development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation. The two sides also need to deepen legislative, cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, among others.

Qin Gang said that in the face of the changes and confusion of the world today, President Xi Jinping has put forward a series of major initiatives and visions to promote the joint building of an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys enduring peace, universal security and common prosperity, to find the greatest denominator of consensus among all parties, and to contribute China's proposal for jointly addressing global challenges, and that Russia’s support and participation is welcome.

Sergey Lavrov said that the frequent high-level interactions and strategic coordination between Russia and China have demonstrated the positive momentum and full resilience of bilateral relations. Russia is ready to work with China to implement the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state, promote the planning for priorities in Russia-China economic cooperation, give full play to the role of cooperation mechanisms in various fields, and further facilitate cross-border travels. Russia firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests, actively supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, stands for safeguarding the United Nations Charter, upholds the principle of sovereign equality, advocates effective multilateralism, and stands ready to work with China to safeguard regional peace, stability and sustainable development.

The two sides will continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS, and promote the multi-polarization of the world and greater democracy in international relations.

The two sides will foster greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, explore the feasibility study of free trade, and strive for its early harvest.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Qin Gang briefed Lavrov on China's recent calls to the international community, emphasizing that there is no panacea for resolving the crisis, and all parties need to take actions to build up mutual trust, and create conditions for peace talks to end the hostilities. China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting political settlement and restarting peace talks. Sergey Lavrov spoke positively of China's position and proposition, and said that complex issues need systematic solutions, and Russia opposes bloc confrontation and will continue to adhere to the direction of political settlement.