Xi meets Lavrov; PRC-Russia relations; EU wind probe; Industrial upgrading plan; 江河之上
Summary of today’s Essential Eight:
Russian FM Lavrov meets Xi and Wang Yi - Lavrov is in Beijing in part to prepare for Putin’s visit next month. According to the official PRC readout Xi said that the “two countries have worked together to forge a new path of harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation between major countries and neighbors, benefiting the two countries and their peoples, and contributing wisdom and strength to international fairness and justice”. Wang Yi, in his press conference with Lavrov, said that China and Russia must adhere to the “five always 五个始终”. Those five are: always follow the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy; always adhere to the principle of "non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party"; always stand on the right side of major issues of principle; always pursue inclusive and win-win cooperation, and always promote equal and orderly world multipolarization.