China military vice chair meets Russian defence minister in Beijing

Beijing wants ​to work with Moscow to bolster ​strategic communication and mutual ‌trust in the ​military field, China's top general told Russia's Defence Minister Andrei Belousov on Tuesday, according to ‌the Chinese Defence Ministry.

The comments made by Zhang Shengmin, Vice Chair of China's Central Military Commission, in his talks with Belousov in Beijing underscored the strengthening of ‌bilateral ties on political, economic and security issues seen in recent ‌years. Tuesday's encounter was the first publicly known meeting Zhang has had with a minister from another country since his promotion to the ruling Communist Party's Politburo last week.

Zhang and ⁠Chinese ​President Xi Jinping ⁠are the only two active members of the supreme military command, after five of the seven ⁠members appointed in a 2022 reshuffle were purged in China's anti-corruption drive. Chinese and ​Russian relations have entered "a new stage of greater achievement and faster development", ⁠playing a constructive role in upholding global strategic stability and improving global governance, the ministry ⁠cited ​Zhang as saying.

Zhang said Beijing was willing to explore more highlights of cooperation with Moscow and to better safeguard the sovereignty, security and ⁠development interests of the two countries, as well as maintain international and regional ⁠peace and stability. In ⁠September, Zhang held meetings with defence ministers from Vietnam and Indonesia on the sidelines of a regional defence forum ‌in Beijing.