Chinese and Russian military officials vow to boost ‘strategic coordination’

Two sides discussed the international and regional security situation during talks in Beijing, China’s defence ministry says

It follows joint air patrol over Sea of Japan, or East Sea, last week and comes as Beijing and Moscow are deepening ties

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China and Russia hold a joint naval drill in the East China Sea last year. The two militaries have vowed to strengthen strategic coordination. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:00pm, 21 Dec 2023

Chinese and Russian military officials vowed to strengthen strategic coordination during talks in Beijing on Wednesday, China’s defence ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said the officials had an “in-depth exchange of views on the international and regional security situation and relations between the two militaries”.

“[The two sides] will jointly implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and President [Vladimir] Putin, further enhance the level of strategic coordination between the two militaries, and make new contributions to promoting regional and world peace and stability,” the statement said.

The Chinese defence ministry did not give details of the officials who took part in the meeting.

It was the 22nd round of “strategic consultations” between the Chinese and Russian militaries. No statement was released after the last round of talks in 2019.

The previous round was held in Beijing in 2018 and was co-hosted by Major General Shao Yuanming, deputy chief of the Chinese Central Military Commission’s Joint Staff Department, and Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff. They were also pictured at the 2019 meeting.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua