Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi are meeting in south-eastern China to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and developments in Afghanistan.

At the start of the talks on Wednesday in Tunxi in the south-eastern Chinese province of Anhui, Mr Lavrov underlined Russia’s interest in good relations with China, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Mr Lavrov said it was a difficult time in the history of international relations and that Russia, China and other like-minded countries were likely to strengthen relations to form a new world order.

“We will move together with you and other like-minded people towards a multi-polar, just and democratic world order,’’ Mr Lavrov was quoted as saying.

The ministers’ second meeting this year “underlines the intensity and intimate nature of the bilateral regular dialogue.’’

The tensions over Ukraine have overshadowed the two-day talks about Afghanistan, which will also be attended by representatives of the United States, neighbouring countries and Afghanistan’s Taliban government.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Tom West, took part.

“It is critical that the international community remain united in its approach toward Afghanistan,’’ a State Department official said.

The Taliban would be urged “to support the formation of a truly inclusive government to uphold their counterterrorism commitments and to rebuild the Afghan economy to alleviate the suffering of its people,’’ the official said.

A meeting was scheduled for foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries like Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan who would then also meet with a representative of the Taliban government. 

(dpa/NAN)