China-Russia Relations: Moscow To Hold Security Talks With Beijing Amid Criticisms

Moscow plans security talks with Beijing on Monday
The head of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, will meet with a member of China's Communist Party's Politburo, Chen Wenqing
The meeting comes amid continued criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Moscow is preparing to hold security talks with Beijing on Monday amid continued criticism over its invasion of Ukraine.

The planned talks will involve the head of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, and a member of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo, Chen Wenqing. The latter is responsible for overseeing police, legal affairs, and intelligence.

Russia To Hold Security Talks With China

The talks would be the first time Patrushev meets with Chen as the latter was only named the party secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission in October last year. The commission is China's top security post overseeing police, judges, and spies.

Patrushev is a former chief of the FSB internal security service. It is widely considered one of the most hawkish members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, as per US News.

The bilateral security talks are an annual event for China and Russia. However, the two nations have further strengthened their economic, political, and military ties. It comes as Moscow has sent tens of thousands of its soldiers into Ukraine for its alleged "special operations."

The situation comes as China and Russia have spoken out after the Group of Seven (G7) coalition released a joint statement. Moscow claims that the group is trying to push the Ukraine war to inflict what officials called a strategic defeat on Russia and Beijing. They also accused Washington of "coercive diplomacy."

In a statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the "task was set out loudly and openly," defeating Russia on the battlefield. He noted that other countries are also trying to eliminate Moscow as a geopolitical competitor.

China, Russia Criticize G7 Members' Joint Statement

Lavrov added that the decisions being discussed and adopted by G7 leaders in Hiroshima seek the double containment of China and Russia. The coalition's joint statement was issued after an invitation was extended to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the Japan Times.

The statement detailed how the G7 pledged to intensify diplomatic, financial, humanitarian, and military support for Kyiv. It also noted that they plan to increase the costs to Russia and the parties supporting Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Previously, the G7 said it wanted to build on prior measures, such as further restrictions on Russia's access to G7 economies, bolstering export bans "across all our jurisdictions" on "all items critical to Russia's aggression," and several others.

On the other hand, China's Foreign Ministry claims that G7 leaders opposed international peace and added that the coalition needs to reflect on its behavior and change its ways. The group's Member countries made their most detailed articulation of a shared position against China's actions and how to counter Beijing's "malign practices," said CNN.