China, Russia and India released a joint statement on Saturday after the 18th meeting of the three-country foreign ministers on November 26, which took place via digital video conference. The ministers reached consensus on a wide range of international issues, including expressing their support for the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

The meeting took place amid headwinds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a bumpy economic recovery as well as persistent threats from terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, natural and man-made disasters, food security and climate change, the statement noted.

According to the statement, the ministers exchanged views on strengthening Russia-India-China trilateral cooperation and also discussed various regional and international issues of importance. Ministers stressed the need for regular high-level meetings to foster closer cooperation between them.

The ministers stressed that the SCO as an influential and responsible member of the modern system of international relations which plays a constructive role in securing peace and sustainable development, and in consolidating the bonds of good neighborliness and mutual trust. .

Ministers stressed the importance of a timely, transparent, effective and non-discriminatory international response to global health challenges, including pandemics, with equitable and affordable access to essential medicines, vaccines and supplies.

They called for strengthening the political response capacity of the World Health Organization in the fight against Covid-19 and other global health challenges, while urging to make COVID-19 vaccination a good global audience.

The ministers reaffirmed that a multipolar and rebalanced world based on the sovereign equality of nations and respect for international law and reflecting contemporary realities requires the strengthening and reform of the multilateral system. They also reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

The three ministers reaffirmed their support for a transparent, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its heart. They reaffirmed their support for the necessary reform that would preserve the centrality, core values ​​and fundamental principles of the WTO while taking into account the interests of all members, in particular developing countries and the group of least developed countries. .

The ministers agreed that the imposition of unilateral sanctions beyond those adopted by the UN Security Council (UNSC) as well as “long-arm jurisdiction” were incompatible with the principles of international law, reduced the ‘effectiveness and legitimacy of the UNSC sanctions regime, which has had a negative impact on international economic and trade relations. They called for further consolidation and strengthening of the functioning mechanism of the Security Council Sanctions Committee in order to ensure its efficiency, responsiveness and transparency.

They reaffirmed the importance of the full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 and expressed their support for the efforts to ensure the early revitalization of the JCPOA, which represents a historic achievement for multilateral diplomacy and nuclear non-proliferation.

The meeting also underlined the importance that each country attaches to the multiple regional cooperation mechanisms, such as intra-BRICS cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the G-20 and the Association of South Asian Nations. -East (ASEAN).

Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to climate action through the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. They also expressed their support for China to host the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended Friday’s meeting.

China, Russia and India have chosen development paths suited to their own national conditions and they have a responsibility to promote a correct view of democracy, to escape the “democracy trap” set by certain countries and to oppose interference in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy, Wang said, adding that the “democracy summit” organized by the US government would create divisions and bring energy negative to the world.

World time