Zhang Youxia meets with Russian Defense Minister
On October 15th, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who was visiting Beijing, according to a report from the Chinese Ministry of Defense’s website.
During the meeting, Zhang emphasized that in recent years, the relationship between China and Russia has reached an unprecedented high, characterized by healthy and stable development. He attributed this progress largely to the strategic guidance and personal involvement of Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. Zhang expressed China’s readiness to work with Russia to build on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, aiming to strengthen and develop a lasting friendship, high-level strategic trust, and mutually beneficial cooperation. He conveyed a hope that both sides would cooperate to implement the important consensus reached by their leaders, maintain close high-level exchanges, deepen military relations, and jointly safeguard their respective sovereignty, security, and development interests, while working together to uphold international and regional peace and stability.
In response, Shoigu highlighted the long-standing friendship between Russia and China. He expressed Russia’s willingness to collaborate with China to take advantage of the upcoming 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 2025. Shoigu emphasized the importance of continuing to strengthen practical cooperation across various fields, expanding the scope of their partnership, and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship in the new era.
