- Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow
- The visit underscores Beijing's continued military cooperation with Moscow
- Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Russia to meet with Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu in Moscow to underscore the two nations' growing military cooperation amid rising international tensions.
The situation comes as Beijing has been seen to broadly align its foreign policy to Moscow to try and curb the United States' influence and other Western democracies on the global stage. The two officials met personally on Sunday alongside Gen. Li Shangfu.
China-Russia Relations
The trip also comes less than a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Moscow to meet with his Russian counterpart to discuss a possible end to the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.
Beijing has avoided criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and blamed the US and NATO for allegedly provoking Moscow. Furthermore, China's foreign minister last week said that Beijing would not assist Russia with weapons as other Western nations have been concerned about, as per Al Jazeera.
While China has officially maintained a stance of neutrality over the war between Russia and Ukraine, Xi's trip suggested that he has become increasingly positioned to improve his relations with Putin.
On the other hand, the Russian strongman praised the general development of Beijing-Moscow relations. He said they were working actively through military mediums to exchange information that could prove helpful to both parties and were also conducting cooperative actions on the military-technical side.
The two nations have also joined forces to conduct exercises, and noteworthy is that they have done so in different areas, in the Far East region, and in Europe. These were also done both at sea, on land, and in the air.
China's Growing International Influence
The meeting between Putin and Xi was showcased through video footage that showed them shaking hands and sitting down together at a table. During that meeting, Shoigu was also present, according to Reuters.
The Russian president noted that the joint exercises between Beijing and Moscow were crucial areas that strengthened the already trusting, strategic nature of the two countries relations. The situation comes as Ukrainian forces are discovering more and more Chinese components that Moscow's military uses in the war.
On the other hand, NATO and the US have argued that they have not seen any signs that show Beijing was supplying Russia with weapons. About Xi's trip to Russia, Li said that the cooperation between China and Russia has been "developing very well."
The latest meeting between Chinese and Russian officials comes as Ukrainians are still trying to dig through debris at the site where a rocket struck two days prior in the eastern city of Slovyansk. The attack killed at least 15 people, including a two-year-old boy. They were unable to use heavy machinery because the building was a damaged apartment building, said the Washington Post.
