BEIJING, February 4. /TASS/. Russia and China intend to use the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) for the creation of a fair trade and investment environment in the region, according to a joint statement Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping adopted at a meeting in the Chinese capital on Friday.

"Russia and China will continue to work to strengthen the role of APEC as the leading platform for multilateral dialogue on economic issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The sides intend to step up coordinated action to successfully implement the "Putrajaya guidelines for the development of APEC until 2040" with a focus on creating a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable trade and investment environment in the region," the statement reads.

Particular emphasis is planned to be placed on the fight against the novel coronavirus infection pandemic and economic recovery, "digitalization of a wide range of different spheres of life, economic growth in remote territories and the establishment of interaction between APEC and other regional multilateral associations with a similar agenda," according to the statement released on the Kremlin’s website.

The sides also plan to develop cooperation within the "Russia-India-China" format, as well as to strengthen interaction on such venues as the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum on Security, Meeting of Defense Ministers of the ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners.

"Russia and China support ASEAN's central role in developing cooperation in East Asia, continue to increase coordination on deepened cooperation with ASEAN, and jointly promote cooperation in the areas of public health, sustainable development, combating terrorism and countering transnational crime," the document said.

The sides also intend to continue to work in the interest of a strengthened role of ASEAN as a key element of the regional architecture.