China, Russia to jointly maintain international strategic stability: Spokesman

BEIJING -- China and Russia have agreed to enhance strategic cooperation, uphold multilateralism, and resolutely contain the trend of unilateralism and its harm, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in Beijing on Monday.

Spokesman Lu Kang said at a news briefing that the two countries also agreed to jointly respond to challenges faced by the arms control and nonproliferation system and enhance strategic coordination on regional hotspot issues.

Lu made the remarks when asked to comment on a new round of China-Russia consultation on strategic stability, held between China's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Jun and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on May 17.

Lu said more uncertainties are arising in the international strategic security area, with certain major countries constantly withdrawing from global treaties and mechanisms as well as strengthening nuclear capabilities, which severely impacted the international strategic stability, and harmed strategic mutual trust among major countries.

He also warned of the risk that some global and regional hot-spot issues could get out of control.

On the issue of arms control negotiations among China, the United States and Russia, Lu said the preconditions and basis for the trilateral negotiations among China, Russia and the United States never exist, and China will never participate in such negotiations.

He said Russia also agreed that the United States should fulfill its international obligations and Russia fully understood China's position on the so-called China-U.S.-Russia arms control negotiations.