Beijing and Moscow hailed stronger-than-ever relations on Tuesday, as Russia’s Defence Minister Andrei Belousov visited the Chinese capital to promote military ties between the two countries. Moscow has sought closer relations with China since the Ukraine war began in 2022. Beijing, insisting it is a neutral party, has never denounced the Russian invasion, and instead called for peace talks. Belousov said during his visit that the partnership between China and Russia has reached “an unprecedentedly high level,” according to his ministry. The bilateral relationship is “grounded in the personal contacts” between Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the ministry added. Belousov met with Zhang Shengmin, who serves as Xi’s number two in the Central Military Commission, the body that directs the Chinese armed forces. Relations between the two countries have entered a “new phase” characterized by “greater dynamism and accelerated development” under Putin and Xi’s leadership, Zhang said, according to a Chinese defence ministry statement. China stands ready to work with Russia to “enhance mutual trust in the military sphere,” Zhang added. “Such efforts will better safeguard the respective national sovereignty, security, and development interests of both countries,” he said. The Chinese and Russian militaries have held regular joint exercises in recent years, a partnership that Western and some other governments view with suspicion as Moscow’s war on Ukraine grinds on. The defence officials’ meeting in Beijing comes before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Chinese city of Shenzhen on November 18-19. Putin has said he intends to be at the summit, which US President Donald Trump has also said he may attend. The Kremlin said in September that Putin and Trump had discussed the idea of holding a trilateral meeting with Xi at the summit.
