Expert: Chinese-Russian-Indian Foreign Ministers inject positive energy into international relations

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, global economic recovery to be sustained, non-traditional security threats remaining prominent, and some Western countries provoking ideological conflicts and promoting "new Cold War" schemes, the 18th Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of China, Russia and India was held via video link on Nov. 26, injecting positive energy and stability into the currently turbulent international situation.

The virtual meeting of Russia, Indian and Chinese foreign ministers reached a series of important consensuses, sending a positive signal to the international strategic environment as well as international cooperation between China, Russia and India. Foreign ministers of the three countries reiterated the importance of continuing to strengthen global cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, support true and effective multilateralism in the spirit of "openness, solidarity, trust, and cooperation", and adhere to the United Nations' role as a center for coordinating the actions of nations, while building a world that is more multipolar and balanced, expanding and strengthening the participation of emerging markets and developing countries in the process of international economic decision- and rule-making, and deepening the strategic partnership among BRICS countries in the fields of political security, economy, trade, and cultural exchanges.

The foreign ministers of the three countries advocated joint efforts to maintain the stability of the SCO region, and strengthen cooperation in regional forums and organizations such as the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Asia-Europe Meeting, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue. They also reaffirmed their support for a transparent, open, inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and criticized unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" for reducing the effectiveness and legitimacy of the UN Security Council sanctions system.

In addition, the foreign ministers of the three countries also called for comprehensive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, urged developed countries to fulfill their commitments to Official Development Assistance, agreed to strengthen cooperation in climate change, combating terrorism and promoting the solution of regional hotspot issues, and appreciated the trilateral academic conference mechanism established by the Institute of Chinese Studies (New Delhi), Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) and China Institute of International Studies (Beijing) as the main annual research forum for deepening trilateral cooperation in various fields.

The above consensus of the meeting not only covers the cooperation and coordination in non-traditional security fields such as pandemic, anti-terrorism and climate change, but also focuses on the common position of the three countries in improving the global governance system and enhancing the voice of developing countries and emerging economies, demonstrating the responsibility as major countries in resolving hotspot issues and maintaining global strategic stability.

The global geostrategic pattern now faces profound changes unseen in a century, including the impact of the pandemic. Regardless of such, some major countries try to provoke "moral war" and "new Cold War" for their hegemonic self-interests, bringing new uncertainties and high risks to the world. Meanwhile, the global economy is undergoing profound adjustment and transformation of kinetic energy, multilateralism and the free trade system are severely compromised, as protectionism, unilateralism, populism and pseudo-multilateralism are on the rise, which have seriously affected the stability of the global strategic pattern, dragged down post-pandemic economic recovery around the world, and also seriously influenced the international order on which emerging market economies and developing countries depend. The ongoing global instability and uncertainty featuring greater challenges of traditional and non-traditional security risks are corroding the cornerstone of global strategic stability. In other words, global values such as international coordination, solidarity and cooperation, overcoming difficulties together, friendship and goodwill are facing severe challenges and becoming increasingly scarce for the international community.

China, Russia and India are major countries with global influence and the most representative emerging market economies that share extensive common interests. The world would listen as they speak in one voice. The three countries should further strengthen strategic communication and coordination, continue to carry forward the China-Russia-India spirit of "openness, solidarity, trust, and cooperation", safeguard, apply and develop the China-Russia-India cooperation mechanism, manage differences, build consensus, promote cooperation, and jointly send positive messages to the world regarding the practice of true multilateralism and the importance of working together in response to challenges, safeguard world peace, development and global strategic stability.

Article contributed by Lan Jianxue, Head of the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies, China Institute of International Studies

Translated by Wang Xinyuan

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