By Berk Kutay Gokmen
ISTANBUL (AA) – China said Monday that maintaining good ties with Russia and India is conducive to “regional and even global peace, security, stability and prosperity,” adding that Beijing stands ready to promote the development of bilateral ties with both Moscow and New Delhi.
Beijing’s comments came in response to remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his two-day visit to India last week, where he reportedly said Moscow places great value on its relations with both India and China.
"India and China are our closest friends - we treasure that relationship deeply," Putin said in an interview with India Today, according to Russia’s news agency Tass.
“China, Russia, and India are emerging economies and important members of the Global South,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference in Beijing on Monday.
Maintaining good relations among the three countries is not only in their own interests but also beneficial to regional and even global peace, security, stability, and prosperity, Lin added.
“China stands ready to work with Russia and India to continue promoting the development of bilateral relations,” he said.
Regarding relations with New Delhi, the spokesman said Beijing "stands ready to work with India to view and handle China-India relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective" for the benefit of both countries and their people.
Beijing, Moscow, and New Delhi have engaged in a trilateral format since 1996, a mechanism proposed by then-Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov.
The trio held their first foreign ministers’ meeting in 2002 at the UN.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a trilateral meeting in 2018, followed by an informal leaders’ summit in 2019 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan.