INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
China's Foreign Minister will visit Russia next week for talks on issues including efforts to end the war in Ukraine, both countries
announced Friday."At the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov..
Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay an official visit to Russia from March 31 to April 2," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.During
the visit, Wang will meet with Russian leaders and hold talks with Lavrov, Beijing said."China is willing to take this visit as an
opportunity to work with Russia to promote the implementation of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state," Foreign
Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.He added that Wang would engage in "in-depth communication on the development of China-Russia
relations in the next stage and international and regional issues of common concern to both sides."Russia's Foreign Ministry said
the international agenda, including prospects for resolving the crisis around Ukraine."Last month, China hosted top Russian security
official Sergei Shoigu, just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and praised Moscow's
"positive efforts" toward defusing the war.China has repeatedly stated it welcomes all steps toward a ceasefire, though it faces mounting
pressure to push Moscow into serious negotiations to end the war.In Beijing on Thursday, France's top diplomat urged Wang to use China's
influence to persuade Russia to engage in talks with "serious and good-faith proposals."
