Chinese Defense Minister praised relations with Russia, says our relations are very strong
Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu praised ties with Moscow during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Sunday. In remarks broadcast on Russian TV, he said that we have a very strong relationship. They have moved beyond the military-political nexus of the Cold War era. They are very stable. He said that Russia-China relations have already entered a new era.
Li said that this is my first foreign trip after taking over as China's Defense Minister. I specifically chose Russia for this to emphasize the special nature and strategic importance of our bilateral relations. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also attended the meeting.
Putin welcomed military cooperation between Russia and China. We are also actively working through military departments, regularly exchanging useful information and cooperating in the field of military-technical cooperation, Putin said. This is undoubtedly another important area that reinforces the particularly trusting, strategic nature of our relationship, he said.
Chinese Defense Minister Li's visit to Russia will continue till April 19. Last month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping also made an official visit to Moscow. Putin and Xi hailed a new era in their ties and discussed Beijing's proposals to end the Ukraine conflict. Moscow and Beijing have increased cooperation over the years, which amounts to a direct challenge to the US.
China has directly supported Russia since Putin launched its invasion of Ukraine last February. This has strengthened the partnership between China and Russia. Washington has accused Beijing of considering arms exports to Moscow, although China denies such claims.
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