China Intends to Strengthen Strategic Cooperation With Russia, Defense Minister Says
10:49 18.04.2023 (Updated: 10:48 03.08.2023)
© Sputnik . Pavel Bednyakov
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - On Sunday, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu kicked off his three-day visit to Russia. The visit became Li's first foreign trip after his appointment as head of the Chinese military department in March 2023.
Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu said on Tuesday the fact that he chose Russia as his first official trip abroad demonstrates Beijing's intention to strengthen strategic cooperation with Moscow.
"After being appointed to the post of the minister of defense, Russia was chosen as the first place of the visit in order to demonstrate to the outside world the high level of development of Chinese-Russian relations and demonstrate the firm determination to strengthen the strategic cooperation between the armed forces of China and Russia," Li said at the meeting With Russian Defense Minister Sergeн Shoigu.
Li Shangfu has also argued that - China and Russia intend to deepen their military cooperation and bring it to the "new level".
"The armed forces of Russia and China will definitely carefully implement the agreements reached by the heads of state and promote military cooperation and military trade between Russia and China. We will surely bring them to the new level," Li said at the meeting With Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.
Li mentioned that the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin received him in Moscow is very important.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, in his turn, noted that interaction between Russia and China has a stabilizing effect on the situation in the world and helps to reduce tension.
"The coordination of our efforts in the international arena has a stabilizing effect on the situation in the world and helps to reduce the conflict potential," Shoigu said during talks with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow.
Russia and China are also coordinating their actions in preparing joint patrols and exercises in bilateral and multilateral formats, the minister noted.
Shoigu has also pointed out that Russia and China should provide each other “strong support” in matters of the military cooperation.
“President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and President Xi Jinping confirmed that the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation are at the highest level. They need to be developed by giving each other strong support, including on national security issues," Shoigu said.
On Sunday, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu in Moscow.
From March 20-22, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia and met with the Russian president. Putin and Xi both described the meeting as successful and issued statements pledging to expand bilateral cooperation.
