China pledges support to Russia's G20 presidency

MOSCOW - China will fully support Russia in its hosting the leaders' summit of the Group of 20 (G20) economies next year, a senior Chinese official said here Friday.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with the Russian sherpa of the G20 Ksenia Yudaeva, Cui Tiankai, Chinese vice-foreign minister and also one of the G20 sherpas, said China will give its full support to the summit and all related activities.

Russia will take over the presidency of the G20 in December and host the leaders' meeting next year.

Cui said the G20 serves as an important platform for global economic governance and contributes to a strong, sustainable and balanced world economy.

As two major members of the G20, China and Russia have maintained fruitful coordination and cooperation in tackling the international financial crisis over the past years, Cui said, adding that both countries agreed to step up cooperation and advance common interests within the framework of the G20.

The G20, whose member economies account for 90 percent of global output and two thirds of the world's population, has become the primary forum for economic and financial cooperation.

The G20 groups include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, Britain, the United States as well as the European Union.