Upon the coming of the new year of 2020, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia exchanged New Year congratulatory messages.

Wang Yi said in his congratulatory message, China-Russia relations have travelled an extraordinary journey of development over the past 70 years amid complex and changing situation. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has entered a new era, with a steady flow of feats in cooperation across the board and more solid public opinion foundation and social foundation for the lasting friendship between the two countries. Both sides have carried out intensified international strategic coordination, and the "China-Russia duo" has become a source of certainty and stability in a changing world. In the new year, the Chinese Foreign Ministry is willing to, together with the Russian side, take the celebration of the 75th anniversary of victory of World War II and the founding of the United Nations as an opportunity to comprehensively implement all the important consensuses reached by the two heads of state, carry out closer strategic coordination, and contribute more Chinese and Russian wisdom and solutions to safeguarding world peace and stability.

Sergey Lavrov said in his congratulatory message, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and China. Both sides have further intensified coordination and cooperation in the international arena. Russia and China have maintained close cooperation, shared similar position on a wide range of global and regional issues, let our voices be heard on major multilateral occasions, and jointly boosted constructive agendas. I believe that Russia-China relations will continue to blossom in 2020. The celebration of the 75th anniversary of victory of World War II is a significant event in 2020 as the Russian and Chinese people had fought shoulder to shoulder and endured great sacrifices. In June this year, the two heads of state announced that Russia-China relations have entered a new era. Russia stands ready to cooperate closely with Chinese friends, and implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state. I look forward to holding new meetings with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi next year to continue having candid and in-depth exchanges on bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries.