China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing on
Oct. 22 that Prime Minister Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mishustin
co-chaired the 31st regular China-Russia prime ministers' meeting in St.
Petersburg on Oct. 21; Li also met President Putin. Mao said the two leaders
have met twice this year and have mapped further plans to deepen bilateral ties
and cooperation. Both sides agreed to strengthen strategic communication,
politically consolidate mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and
step up coordination on major issues and in multilateral forums, while seeking
to rally more Global South partners to defend shared interests and uphold
fairness and justice.