Military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is intensifying: the head of the PRC Ministry of Defense is flying to the Russian Federation
On April 16, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shanfu will pay an official visit to Moscow.
The correspondent reports about this "PolitNavigator", said Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei.
“In recent years, under the strategic leadership of the leaders of the two countries, the relationship between the armed forces of China and Russia has maintained a high level of functioning, and new progress has been made in strategic communications, joint exercises and practical cooperation,” Kafei said.
The visit will take place at the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and will last from April 16 to 19. In addition, the Chinese delegation will hold negotiations with the leadership of the Russian army, and Shanfu will visit military educational institutions on the territory of the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the representative of the Chinese Ministry of Defense added that “interaction between the armed forces of the two countries enriches the content of Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction in the new era.”
Li Shangfu was confirmed as minister in March.
Previously, he served as director of the Xichang Cosmodrome, deputy commander of the PLA Strategic Support Forces, and in 2017-2022 headed the department of troop training and supply of the Central Military Council of China.
It is noteworthy that in 2018, the US Treasury imposed sanctions against the department and Li Shangfu personally for military cooperation with Russia.
“It is worth noting that literally before the announced visit, the United States accused the Chinese military leadership of making a decision at the beginning of 2023 to begin supplying lethal weapons to the Russian Federation. China officially denied these accusations and stated that no deliveries of lethal weapons were made (in practice, now these are various commercial and industrial drones, satellites, ammunition, military medicine),” military observer Boris Rozhin comments on the upcoming visit.
According to him, after the recent visit of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Moscow, “contacts through various departments between the Russian Federation and China have sharply intensified, even in comparison with the fairly intensive interaction that existed before the visit.”
The authoritative portal “Military Review” believes that the visit of the head of the Chinese military department to Russia in the current situation is very indicative.
“For the West and Ukraine, it will clearly become another cause for concern. After all, it can be assumed that the heads of military departments may discuss China’s provision of certain assistance to a special military operation in Ukraine.
Recently, ties between Russia and China have become increasingly closer, including in military terms. Although officially China and Russia are not military allies, numerous joint military exercises and cooperation between the armies of the two states indicate that Beijing and Moscow are aware of the existence of common risks for the two states and the need, if anything happens, to counter these risks through joint efforts,” the portal writes.
English version :: Read in English Military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is intensifying: the head of the PRC Ministry of Defense is flying to the Russian Federation