Chinese defense minister meets Putin, discusses military cooperation

Li Shangfu, China’s newly appointed defense minister, visited Russia on his first official visit abroad on April 16 and met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Russia has been seeking to get Chinese weapons and technology to boost its war against Ukraine.

According to Shangfu, cooperation between the two states in the military sphere "is developing very well, which has a great impact on global and regional security."

Shangfu said that he “specifically chose Russia” in order to “emphasize the special nature and strategic importance” of bilateral relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, Putin said that both countries actively cooperate in the military field,  “regularly exchange useful information, work together in the field of military-technical cooperation, and hold joint exercises.”

China has claimed that it has a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine.

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Допис, поширений Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent_official)

However, in March Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement with Putin to open a  “new era” of bilateral cooperation.

“We signed a statement on deepening the strategic partnership and bilateral ties, which are entering a new era,” Xi said during his official visit to Moscow.

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