The China-Russia Roundtable Forum on Global Governance 2019 is held in Moscow, Russia, on June 5, 2019 (CHINA PICTORIAL)

The China-Russia Roundtable Forum on Global Governance 2019 was held in Moscow on June 5. It was jointly hosted by the China International Publishing Group (CIPG) and the Russia-China Friendship Association (RCFA), guided by China's State Council Information Office along with the assistance of organizations including the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, China Pictorial, the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University, the Valdai International Discussion Club, and the Far Eastern Studies Institute and European Studies Institute under the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The theme for the discussions was "Global Governance Reform and China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Coordination," and keynote speakers included Wang Xiaohui, executive deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairperson of China's National High-end Think Tank Council; Zhou Li, former vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament; Sergey Luzyanin, first deputy chairperson of RCFA and director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences; and Sergey Uyanaev, deputy director of the same institute and director of the Research and Prediction Center for Russia-China Relations. CIPG Vice President Gao Anming presided over the opening session.

Wang Xiaohui (center), executive deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairperson of China's National High-end Think Tank Council, delivers a speech at the China-Russia Roundtable Forum on Global Governance 2019 in Moscow, on June 5, 2019 (CHINA PICTORIAL)

Wang Xiaohui noted that, as each other's biggest neighbor, China and Russia had been working closely together since the establishment of diplomatic relations 70 years ago. Particularly, in recent years, with the joint efforts of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, bilateral relations had become stronger and closer than ever before. Future China-Russia relations should be built on further growth in bilateral ties and changes in the global situation. They should seize the opportunities provided by the Belt and Road Initiative to continuously expand cooperation, and take coordination of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level. Think tanks of both sides should focus on major theoretical and practical issues facing the relationship in the new era, conducting forward-looking, strategic and policy-related research in order to contribute ideas on enhancing the synergy between the development strategies of the two countries, adding strong momentum to the ever-lasting friendship, and make proposals promoting reform of the global governance system.

Sergey Luzyanin, first deputy chairperson of RCFA and director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that, in the new era, China and Russia should focus on promoting the Belt and Road Initiative in alignment with the Eurasian Economic Union in all areas, jointly safeguarding an open world economy, and strengthening the strategic cooperation under the framework of multilateral mechanisms provided by the SCO, G20 and BRICS.

Zhou Li stressed it was natural and logical for China and Russia to deepen bilateral ties. Coordination of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership was based on strong political mutual trust and firm mutual support. It neither targeted any third party, nor would be swayed by provocation and interference from any third party. It was to be hoped that think tanks and political commentators of the two countries would be able to strengthen their exchanges, and collaborate on research projects, so as to solve any problems arising for the two governments and adapt to the needs of coordinating the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era.

Galina Kulikova, first deputy chairperson of RCFA, said that, besides economic and trade cooperation, China and Russia also enjoyed a solid foundation for people-to-people exchanges. As a result, in the new era, the two countries should enhance communications between the two peoples, and promote greater public support for the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.

In the roundtable session, over 30 renowned Chinese and Russian experts and scholars talked about and discussed the topics of "multilateralism and global governance: contributing wisdom and solutions" and "people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations: promoting comprehensive cooperation."

Before the convening of the forum, China Pictorial staged a photo exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia diplomatic relations. The exhibition selected excellent pictures covering media cooperation, cultural exchanges and economic and trade ties between the two countries since 1949. From the historical and concurrent perspectives, the exhibition showed the process of the Chinese and Russian people getting to know and understand each other over the past 70 years. With an abundance of excellent pictures, the exhibition showcased the close cooperation between the two countries, especially in regard to the important events and special moments in media cooperation.

Nearly 150 guests drawn from the political, think tank and media circles of China and Russia attended the forum.