The Minister chose Russia for his first trip abroad since taking office. He met Vladimir Putin in Moscow and assured that ties between Beijing and Moscow remained “very stable”.
Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu hailed “strong” ties with Moscow on Sunday during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
“Very stable” links
“We have very strong ties, which go beyond the military-political alliances of the Cold War era” and are “very stable”, he said during this meeting broadcast on Russian television, according to their translation .
He added that relations between Russia and China had “already entered a new era”.
“This is my first foreign visit since taking office as Defense Minister. I specifically chose Russia, in order to emphasize the special nature and strategic importance of our bilateral relations,” Li Shangfu added.
Putin welcomes “active” cooperation between Beijing and Moscow
During this meeting, which was also attended by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Vladimir Putin praised the military cooperation between the two countries.
“We actively work through military departments, regularly exchange useful information, cooperate in the field of military-technical cooperation and conduct joint exercises,” Vladimir Putin said.
“This is undoubtedly another important area that strengthens the nature … of our relationship,” he added.
Li’s visit to Russia, which is scheduled to last until April 19, comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow in March. During this summit, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping showed their good understanding, posing as strategic allies determined to resist American hegemony.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Beijing has declared itself officially neutral, without ever condemning the Russian invasion. Xi Jinping has never spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
