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China’s No 3 official Li Zhanshu calls for united front with Russia against Western sanctions
- Li says China and Russia should fight together against ‘external interference’
- He thanks Russian lawmakers for Moscow’s support of Beijing’s stance on Taiwan
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Cooperation between China and Russia should be strengthened in light of Western sanctions on the two countries, China’s No 3 official said before he wrapped up his trip to Russia last week.
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In a readout by Chinese state news agency Xinhua released on Saturday night, Li was quoted as saying the two sides should share more experience in “legislation regarding fighting against external interference, sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction”.
During his meeting with Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Russian State Duma, the country’s lower house, and Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the Russian Federation Council, Li said the two sides should strengthen exchanges of experience on domestic governance.
Li, the chairman of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee, thanked the pair for Moscow’s support of Beijing’s stance on Taiwan, both of whom had slammed a trip to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August.
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Latest US delegation to visit Taiwan pushes for closer economic ties with self-ruled island
Latest US delegation to visit Taiwan pushes for closer economic ties with self-ruled island
In response to the trip, Beijing launched unprecedented military drills that amounted to a semi-blockade of the self-ruled island. Beijing sees the island as a Chinese province to be brought under its control, by force if necessary. Most countries do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state.
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Russia was the first leg of Li’s 11-day trip that began on Wednesday. He is the most senior Chinese official to have travelled outside China since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic more than two years ago.
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