MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Russia is determined to steadily develop and strengthen relations with China, the Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolay Patrushev, said at a meeting with a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

"Russia is determined to steadily develop and strengthen Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation," Patrushev emphasized.

He also pointed out that relations between Moscow and Beijing were based on respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and "mutual support in the international arena."

"Our relations are self-valuable and immune to external influences," Patrushev said.

He recalled that this attitude had been repeatedly confirmed at the level of the two countries’ leaders. In particular, this is seen in the joint statement that followed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia in March 2023.

In that statement Russia and China vowed "to provide strong mutual support in safeguarding each other's fundamental interests, primarily sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and development."

It was specified that Russia and China will "invariably ensure the right course of development of bilateral relations."