Beijing, 17 apr. The Chinese Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, met on Sunday in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, to whom he conveyed that Beijing is willing to “strengthen strategic communication” between the armies of both countries.
“China is willing to work together with Russia to strengthen strategic communication between the two militaries and strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation so as to make new contributions in safeguarding global and regional security and stability,” Li said. , picks up the state agency Xinhua.
He added that “the mutual military trust between the two countries has been increasingly consolidated, which translates into substantial progress in terms of cooperation.”
According to Xinhua, Putin recalled “the recent and fruitful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russia,” during which “the course for the development of relations between the two countries” was charted, agreeing to “further strengthen strategic coordination and deepen practical cooperation in various fields”.
The Russian president added that military cooperation plays “an important role in Russia-China ties,” and expressed his hope that the two militaries “strengthen cooperation in joint training, professional exchanges and other spheres.”
Li is in Russia between April 16 and 19 at the invitation of his counterpart from the Eurasian country, Sergei Shoigu.
During his stay, he will meet Russian military leaders and visit military academies, Chinese military spokesman Tan Kefei said last week.
The Chinese and Russian militaries “have maintained close interaction” that has led to “new developments in strategic communication, joint military exercises and pragmatic cooperation,” Tan said.
Said interaction “has enriched the comprehensive strategic partnership” between Moscow and Beijing, the spokesman said at the time.
The Chinese military declared at the end of March that it was “ready to increase cooperation and communication” with the Russian armed forces.
Li, sanctioned in 2018 by the United States on charges of buying weapons from the Russian state-owned company Rosoboronexport, was appointed defense minister in March this year.
The Chinese government, which has shown its opposition to the sanctions against Moscow, issued a statement in February on what it calls the “conflict” in Ukraine in which it defends a ceasefire and the abandonment of the “cold war mentality”, proposed criticized by the West for putting “the aggressor and the attacked” on the same level.
In its document, Beijing defends respect for the territorial integrity of countries, including Ukraine, and the “legitimate security concerns of all parties”, in reference to Russia. EFE
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