China is set to send its defense minister to Russia for the first time since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago, the latest sign of close ties between Moscow and Beijing.
(Bloomberg) — China is set to send its defense minister to Russia for the first time since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago, the latest sign of close ties between Moscow and Beijing.
Li Shangfu, who was named defense minister in March, will start the visit Sunday at the invitation of counterpart Sergei Shoigu, according to China Central Television. He’ll visit Russian military institutions as part of the trip, the state broadcaster added in a report Friday.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the two officials will discuss military cooperation, and global and regional security, according to Tass.
China has become Russia’s biggest supporter since Western nations started shunning Russia because of its attack early last year. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Putin in Moscow in March, saying his nation “highly values the relationship.” Putin said Russia was ready to discuss Beijing’s blueprint for ending the conflict in Ukraine though no progress was made.
That proposal has been dismissed as a nonstarter by the US and others, partly because it would freeze Russian troops in place on Ukrainian territory.
Read: Xi Aligns With Putin Against US, But Hesitates on Gas Deal
In a further sign of how close the relationship has become, Beijing and Moscow plan to explore the feasibility of free trade between the nations, according to a statement from Beijing released after a meeting between Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The two sides also agreed to continue improving coordination within frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, the statement from China’s Foreign Ministry said.
More: China Names US-Sanctioned Aerospace Expert as Defense Chief
The US has warned China against providing lethal aid to Moscow. China probably approved of its firms providing Russia non-lethal, “dual-use” support for the war, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in February. Beijing later said it never sells arms to parties involved in a conflict.
The US sanctioned Li, 65, in 2018 for allegedly aiding in the transfer of Su-35 combat aircraft and S-400 missile system equipment from Russian arms seller Rosoboronexport to China.
Separately, Russia put its Pacific Fleet on high alert Friday as part of what it said were snap exercises simulating the defense of Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands north of Japan from an attack by a “hypothetical opponent.”
–With assistance from Torrey Clark and Gregory L. White.
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