On March 23, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov jointly met the press in Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. One reporter asked Wang Yi, what sort of major-country relations was required in the turbulently changing world and how to establish such relations, since major-country relations are currently catching lots of attention from all over the world, with the U.S. stressing competition and power, while China and Russia underscoring cooperation and fairness?

Wang Yi said, our planet is facing more and more problems and challenges. And the world is watching how major countries will act at the historical juncture of once-in-a-century changes. In particular, how major countries get along with each other, dialogue or confrontation, cooperation or division, will largely determine the future and fate of mankind.

Wang Yi expressed, China always believes that a major country should behave as it is, which does not mean that a major country is stronger, higher-ranking and more powerful than other countries, but that a major country should think and act from a broader perspective and with a broader vision, shoulder heavier responsibilities, and make more efforts and contributions.

Wang Yi said, specifically, major countries should take the lead in emphasizing equality and set an example on implementing the Charter of the United Nations by refraining from standing upon their pantofles or keeping a stranglehold on other countries with own strength and status; major countries should take the lead in emphasizing integrity and set an example on respecting the legitimate rights of other countries by refraining from arbitrarily interfering in the internal affairs of other countries based on their own standards or exercising transfer of governments under the banner of democracy and human rights; major countries should take the lead in emphasizing cooperation and set an example on achieving mutual-beneficial and win-win outcomes for all countries by refraining from indulging in zero-sum games, unilateral sanctions or even creation of conflicts and confrontations; and major countries should take the lead in emphasizing law-abidance and set an example on compliance with international law by refraining from replacing the universally recognized international law with the so-called rules without clear meaning and content or engaging in closed and exclusive cliques.

Wang Yi emphasized, unilateral sanctions have no basis in international law and only serve the political needs of a few countries. All countries should stand up against the so-called sanctions which are based on lies because they are a regression to the “law of the jungle”.

Wang Yi noted, the reason why China-Russia relations have withstood the test of changes in international situation and become a stable force in today’s world lies in the fact that the two sides always pursue non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties; always respect each other’s core interests and accommodate each other’s legitimate concerns; always act responsibly and uphold justice, and firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law. China calls on all countries to revisit the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, cherish the international law system built by all countries through joint efforts since World War II, and work together to practice multilateralism in the real sense, promote democracy in international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind that transcends institutional and cultural differences.