Similarly, Lavrov warned that Western countries are doing whatever it takes to secure their leading status as the current international situation becomes increasingly complex.

When meeting reporters after their talks, Wang explained the expected roles a major country should play: seeking equality, subscribing to honesty, promoting cooperation and mutual benefit and honoring international law.

Contrary to those roles are actions such as pressuring others from a position of strength; interfering in nations' internal affairs and overturning their government; seeking a zero-sum game, unilateral sanctions, conflicts and confrontation; and replacing international law with ambiguous rules and seeking group politics, Wang added.

Wang and Lavrov also dismissed allegations that the two countries are engaged in "vaccine diplomacy" to expand their influence.

China is engaged in humanitarian operations－in contrast to some major countries' selfishness and hoarding of vaccines－and countries should boycott "vaccine nationalism" and bridge the vaccination gap, Wang said.

Against the backdrop of turbulent international politics, the two diplomats said they believe a summit of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council is urgently needed to resolve issues that concern people around the world and to safeguard global stability through dialogue.

Yang Cheng, a professor at Shanghai International Studies University and executive president of the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies, said that bullying and hegemonic actions targeting Beijing and Moscow "only help strengthen China-Russia mutual trust".

China-Russia collaboration is strong and has great flexibility, and the two nations have developed unity on issues related to core interests such as sovereignty, Yang said.

Expanded cooperation

Both Wang and Lavrov envisioned expanded bilateral cooperation, as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the landmark China-Russia Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation.

The two countries will strongly back each other on issues involving their core interests, speed up the resumption of work and business with regular epidemic prevention and control measures, serve as each other's key partners in seeking growth and revitalization and play their major roles in safeguarding fairness and justice in international affairs, Wang said.

Russia and China should further deepen coordination and cooperation in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group, and jointly oppose external forces using social networks to interfere in their internal affairs, Lavrov said.