Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Cai Wei holds China-Russia Consultations on the United Nations and Security Council Affairs with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alimov Alexander Sergeevitch in Beijing on April 8, 2026. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Cai Wei held China-Russia Consultations on the United Nations and Security Council Affairs with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alimov Alexander Sergeevitch in Beijing on Wednesday. The two sides conducted in-depth exchange of views on the current international situation, UN and Security Council affairs, as well as regional and international hotspot issues, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.

Both sides agreed to jointly uphold multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, and make positive efforts to promote the political settlement of hotspot issues, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, a wide range of issues on the agendas of the UN Security Council and the General Assembly were thoroughly reviewed, including the reform of the UN Security Council, the UN80 Initiative, elections for non-permanent members of the Security Council and the president of the 81st session of the General Assembly, as well as a number of regional issues with a focus on exploring political and diplomatic solutions to the situation surrounding Iran and cooperation between the two countries on this issue in the Security Council.

The UN80 Initiative is a wide-ranging reform effort launched on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the UN's founding. In a statement, the established Group of Friends of Global Governance highlighted three key points: the initiative must focus on improving both the effectiveness and efficiency of the UN's work; it must address the concerns of developing countries; and its process must remain transparent and inclusive, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"This round of China-Russia consultations sent a clear signal of the two sides' commitment to defending multilateralism and promoting a rules-based functioning of the UN Security Council and advancing a political solution to the Iran situation," Cui Heng, a scholar at the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two sides also paid special attention to the upcoming election of the UN Secretary-General. It stressed that the future head of the world organization should maintain equidistance and neutrality, approach the principles of the UN Charter conscientiously and without selectivity, and work to build bridges among member states of the global body, the ministry added.

The consultations came after China and Russia vetoed a draft that "strongly encourages" states interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate efforts of a defensive nature to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation across the Strait, including through the escort of merchant and commercial vessels, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Eleven members of the Security Council voted in favor of the draft resolution, China and Russia voted against it, while Colombia and Pakistan abstained, per Xinhua.

This vote also shows the two countries' shared opposition to unilateral pressure and the use of force, and their support for balancing the concerns of all parties through dialogue to prevent further escalation and provide legal and diplomatic support for easing regional tensions, Cui said.

Overall, the consultations represent coordinated alignment by China and Russia within the UN framework—aimed at stabilizing current hotspots while laying the groundwork for upcoming elections and reforms, outlining a clear line of cooperation for the multilateral agenda in the second half of the year, the expert added.