China, Russia, India commit to regional security in Asia-Pacific

China, Russia and India agreed to maintain regional security and economic architecture in the Asia-Pacific, said a joint communique issued Monday after the 15th trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries.

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj (center) poses with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi (right) and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov before their tri-lateral meeting in New Delhi, India, Dec. 11, 2017. [Photo: IC]

Maintaining regional security and economic architecture that is "open, inclusive, and based on multilateralism, universally recognized principles of international law" is imperative for lasting peace and stability in the region, said the communique. 

The three countries emphasized the need for coordination and cooperation in various regional forums and organizations such as East Asia Summit to maintain regional peace and stability and to promote regional development and prosperity.

During the one-day meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj discussed a wide range of global and regional issues of common concern, according to the communique. 

The three countries reiterated the importance they attached to cooperation and strategic partnership within BRICS. 

"We will work together to implement all outcomes of BRICS summits to strengthen cooperation in economic, political, security and people-to-people fields, so as to usher in the second golden decade of BRICS cooperation," said the communique, while commending the successful hosting of the ninth BRICS summit in Xiamen by China in September 2017.

The three countries also attached special importance to the joint work within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), saying the SCO is an important instrument in promoting multilateral political, security economic and people-to-people interaction in the region.

Describing Russia-India-China Trilateral format as a platform to foster closer dialogue and practical cooperation in identified areas among the three countries, the communique said such cooperation is not directed against any other country. 

"We wish to strengthen the trilateral dialogue for consultation and coordination on regional and global issues of mutual interest in the spirit of mutual understanding and trust," it said. 

"Our cooperation is conducive to maintaining international and regional peace, stability and promoting global economic growth and prosperity," it added.