DALIAN, August 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Greater Eurasian Partnership initiative and China’s Belt and Road Initiative are aimed at the same thing, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Marat Berdyev told TASS.

"The Greater Eurasian Partnership (GEP) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) share a common basis. Their goal is simple and clear - to create conditions for smooth interaction between economic operators, building efficient markets, supply chains, and transport corridors that would overcome current regulatory and infrastructural barriers," Berdyev said following the third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting in the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province in northeastern China. "The alignment of the GEP and BRI is not of a short-term nature, it rests on a solid foundation."

The diplomat noted that such a process should "have positive momentum and serve as a unifying factor." "We are not seeking selfish gains and we do not view relations as a one-way street," he stressed.

According to the ambassador-at-large, Russia and China "see eye to eye on the objectives of international cooperation" and unlike the collective West, they do not view Central Asia as a territory for economic exploitation or a source of raw materials. "We see serious potential for the region’s countries to strengthen their positions in the global economy," he added.

Berdyev also noted that positive momentum in this area is being driven by closer integration within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the development of cargo transportation via the North·South transport corridor.

"The key vector of efforts and specific multi·profile objectives are set forth and regularly updated in Russian·Chinese agreements and the EAEU strategic documents," the diplomat added. "We will continue pursuing this pragmatic course, based on mutual respect, the integration of capabilities, the search for a balance of interests, and progress toward a shared prosperous future.".