According to the news of the Global Times, Li, in his speech at the 11th International Moscow Security Conference held in Russia, said that the military relations between China and Russia are based on the principles of “not forming alliances”, “not confronting” and “not targeting third parties”. stressed that it sets an example.
Underlining that he has met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu three times since he took office in March, he has not been in such intense communication with any other defense minister, “There is intense communication between the armed forces of the two countries, including the highest level, just like between our states. We are interacting. We would like to discuss new cooperation opportunities with the Russian Minister during this visit.” used the phrases.
Against the criticism of China’s military cooperation with Russia during the period of tensions with the West due to the Russia-Ukraine War, Li expressed his belief that “open and transparent military cooperation between Beijing and Russia will contribute to peace and stability in the world.”
Li said that China should conduct joint military exercises and training with all countries in a wider geography, develop international cooperation for disarmament and non-proliferation, as well as work together to counter space, bio-security, artificial intelligence technologies and other challenges outside the traditional security field. He said he was ready.
The Chinese Minister added that they are ready to increase the work in the field of security within the scope of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), of which China and Russia are members, and to deepen the defense cooperation with the new members of the organization, Iran and Belarus.
After Russia, he will visit Belarus
Li, who will hold talks with his counterpart Shoigu and Russian defense officials during his visit to Moscow, will visit Belarus after Russia. Li is expected to meet with President Alexander Lukashenko and defense officials in Belarus as well.
Li, who previously visited Moscow in April, met with President Vladimir Putin. The Chinese Minister also met during the visit of the Commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov, to Beijing in July.
It is observed that the Russia-Ukraine War, which started at a time when China’s geostrategic rivalry with the USA and regional tensions increased, brought the Beijing administration closer to Moscow, which faces similar challenges with the perception of a “common enemy”.
While the US and Europe warn China not to provide weapons support to Russia in the war, Beijing continues its defense cooperation with Moscow, including joint patrols, military exercises and personnel training, although it does not sell weapons directly.
The navies of the two countries carried out a joint military exercise called “North/Interaction-2023” in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) in July, and then carried out joint patrols in the northwest Pacific in the region stretching from the north of Japan to the US state of Alaska.