Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu expressed his “determination” to strengthen cooperation with the Russian military on Tuesday during an official visit to Moscow, Russian press agencies reported, citing AFP and News.ro.

Li Shangfu stated that his visit to Russia aims to “demonstrate to the outside world the firm determination to strengthen strategic cooperation between the Chinese and Russian militaries.”

His comments came less than a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Moscow ended, during which the Beijing leader said his country was “impartial” about the war in Ukraine.

But on Tuesday, his defense minister promised to “promote military-technical cooperation and military trade between Russia and China” and “raise them to a new level.”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who received his Chinese counterpart, in turn called for the development of these relations “through strong mutual support, including in matters of national security.”

“It is important that our countries equally evaluate the meaning of the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape,” he emphasized.

The Chinese military leader declared the “particularity” of relations with Russia

It is Li Shangfu’s first foreign visit since taking office, and the Chinese minister said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that he chose Russia to “underline the special nature of the strategic importance of our bilateral relations.”

“We have very strong ties that go beyond the military-political alliances of the Cold War,” he said at the meeting.

The West has stepped up its warnings against China over supplying Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine, warnings that have been sharply rejected by the government in Beijing.

China has declared its neutrality since the start of Putin’s invasion and has never condemned the launch of the “special military operation,” and Chinese state media portray the conflict in terms used by Russian propaganda.

Xi Jinping has never communicated with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

China has outlined its 12-point position on the war in Ukraine, in which it officially calls for respect for the sovereignty of all countries, including Ukraine, but refrains from the slightest criticism of Russia.

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