In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

During the meeting, Putin highlighted that cooperation between Russia and China is progressing well across all sectors, including between their respective military agencies. This, in turn, helps foster mutual trust and strengthens the strategic nature of the bilateral relationship. Putin also mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping is a good friend, whose recent visit to Moscow was fruitful and touched on topics such as military cooperation.

On the other hand, Li Shangfu noted that he chose Russia as his first foreign destination in his official capacity to emphasize the special nature and strategic importance of the bilateral relations. He also highlighted that the robust relationship between Moscow and Beijing is not aimed at any third countries and that their continued cooperation is in the interest of global development and prosperity. Additionally, Li mentioned that the bilateral military cooperation has been developing well and is contributing to global security. Finally, he acknowledged the strong friendship between Putin and Xi, which is well-known in China.