Beijing and Moscow hailed stronger-than-ever relations on Tuesday, as Russia\u2019s Defence Minister Andrei Belousov visited the Chinese capital to promote military ties between the two countries.\n<\/p>\n
Moscow has sought closer relations with China since the Ukraine war began in 2022.\n<\/p>\n
Beijing, insisting it is a neutral party, has never denounced the Russian invasion, and instead called for peace talks.\n<\/p>\n
Belousov said during his visit that the partnership between China and Russia has reached \u201can unprecedentedly high level,\u201d according to his ministry.<\/p>\n
The bilateral relationship is \u201cgrounded in the personal contacts\u201d between Russia\u2019s President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the ministry added.<\/p>\n
Belousov met with Zhang Shengmin, who serves as Xi\u2019s number two in the Central Military Commission, the body that directs the Chinese armed forces.\n<\/p>\n
Relations between the two countries have entered a \u201cnew phase\u201d characterised by \u201cgreater dynamism and accelerated development\u201d under Putin and Xi\u2019s leadership, Zhang said, according to a Chinese defence ministry statement.<\/p>\n
China stands ready to work with Russia to \u201cenhance mutual trust in the military sphere,\u201d Zhang added. <\/p>\n
\u201cSuch efforts will better safeguard the respective national sovereignty, security and development interests of both countries,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n
The Chinese and Russian militaries have held regular joint exercises in recent years, a partnership that Western and some other governments view with suspicion as Moscow\u2019s war on Ukraine grinds on.\n<\/p>\n
The defence officials\u2019 meeting in Beijing comes before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Chinese city of Shenzhen on November 18-19.\n<\/p>\n
Putin has said he intends to be at the summit, which US President Donald Trump has also said he may attend.\n<\/p>\n
The Kremlin said in September that Putin and Trump had discussed the idea of holding a trilateral meeting with Xi at the summit.\n<\/p>\n