The two countries have simply been pursuing their own long-term interests, the Chinese foreign minister has said

The close partnership between Russia and China poses no threat to other nations and cannot be influenced by external forces, Beijing's top diplomat has said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that the two countries have simply been pursuing their own "long-term interests."

An annual threat assessment report by US intelligence claimed last week that the relationship between Moscow and Beijing had helped "promote a global counterweight to the United States."

"China-Russia relations adhere to non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties. They neither pose a threat to any country in the world, nor are they subject to interference and influence from any third party," Wang said, as quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The ties between Moscow and Beijing act as "an important stabilizing force in a turbulent and changing world," the diplomat added.

Wang arrived in Moscow on Sunday for a three-day visit at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The agenda included bilateral ties and global issues, particularly the Ukraine conflict.

The diplomat welcomed the discussions between Russia and the US aimed at easing tensions around Ukraine and improving the relations between Moscow and Washington.

The 2025 Annual Threat Assessment by the US intelligence agencies claims that Russia and China, along with Iran and North Korea, are collaborating to challenge US interests in the world "by attacking or threatening others in their regions." According to the report, Beijing has been instrumental in helping Moscow "circumvent sanctions" and "promote a global counterweight to the United States."

According to Wang Yi, however, being permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, both China and Russia have special responsibilities for maintaining world peace and development.

READ MORE: China calls for fair and binding Ukraine peace deal

In February, the Security Council adopted a resolution, introduced by the US, which called for a swift end to the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine and urged the establishment of a lasting peace between the two nations. Both Russia and China voted in favor of the document.

(RT.com)