Russia: Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has met with China’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu, discussing Beijing’s strengthening engagement with Moscow. The move is part of its foreign policy and an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies.

Mr. Putin and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met with General Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow.

During the meeting, Mr. Putin praised the general development of Russia-China relations.

“We are also working actively through the military departments, regularly exchanging information that is useful to us, cooperating in the field of military-technical cooperation, conducting joint exercises, and moreover, in different theatres: in the Far East region and in Europe, and at sea, on land, and in the air,” the Russian President commented.

According to Mr. Li, the countries’ relations “outperform the military-political unions of the Cold War era. They rest on the principles of nonalignment and are very stable.”

“We have very strong ties. They surpass the military-political alliances of the Cold War era. They are very stable,” Mr. Li noted, adding that Russia-China ties have “already entered a new era.”

China has refused to criticise Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and blames the US and NATO for provoking Moscow. But China’s Foreign Minister recently stated that the country would not be helping Russia with weapons, as the US and other Western allies have feared.

Based on China’s official statements, the country remains neutral in the Ukraine conflict. However, Mr. Xi’s trip indicated how China is increasingly becoming the senior partner in the relationship as it provides Russia with political cover and an economic lifeline during the Ukraine conflict.

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