China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is key to promoting cooperation in the Eurasia region, Russian state news agencies cited Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Monday.

“We consider this movement, this project as an important part of promoting cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit throughout the Eurasian continent,” Lavrov said after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

Putin sees Belt and Road Initiative as China’s desire to cooperate

Lavrov added that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is to visit Beijing this week, will discuss all aspects of bilateral cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.