The Chinese and Russian defense ministers this week agreed to expand cooperation and pledged “firm” support for each other, a sign of the strong ties the two countries have sustained in the year since Moscow invaded Ukraine.
(Bloomberg) — The Chinese and Russian defense ministers this week agreed to expand cooperation and pledged “firm” support for each other, a sign of the strong ties the two countries have sustained in the year since Moscow invaded Ukraine.
China’s Li Shangfu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu agreed to maintain close, high-level communications, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of National Defense. The two men talked in Moscow on Tuesday.
Li’s visit to Russia is the first by a Chinese defense minister since the war began, and comes about a month after President Xi Jinping traveled to Moscow and said his country “highly values the relationship with Russia.”
Beijing has been Russia’s biggest supporter since President Vladimir Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion. In recent months China has tried to cast itself as a peacemaker in the war, unveiling a vague 12-point peace blueprint in February. Its call for a cease-fire that would freeze Russian forces in Ukraine is a non-starter for Kyiv, the US and Ukraine’s other supporters.
In their meeting this week, Li and Shoigu vowed to develop more cooperation between their military theater commands, various forces and academic institutions, according to the Chinese defense ministry statement.
They also reiterated that both sides would “firmly support” each other to defend their “core interests, primarily on sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and development issues,” as well as support each other’s opposition to “external interference on domestic affairs.”
Earlier in the trip, Li also met with Putin and congratulated the Russian leader for “promoting world peace,” according to a clip of unknown origin that was posted on a Chinese short-video platform. The video appeared to show Li in a meeting with Putin and Shoigu reading prepared remarks that called Putin an “extraordinary leader.”
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