In a discussion held in Beijing, Russia's top defense official highlighted a shared comprehension with China.
The two nations share "similar perspectives, a shared analysis of the situation, and a mutual comprehension of our collective actions," expressed Defense Chief Andrey Belousov to Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia of China's Central Military Commission, as reported by Russian state media Tass.
Their objective is to "augment and advance" their strategic alliance, Belousov further stated.
This visit has been highlighted by Russian state media as Belousov's initial trip to China since his appointment in May and occurs shortly before an anticipated visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Russia.
Russia and China have been reinforcing their security synchronization due to mutual disputes with the West. This has resulted in an increase in joint military exercises in recent months, purportedly to convey a message to Washington that while both are not allies, neither operates in isolation.
During the meeting on Tuesday, Zhang reiterated sentiments previously voiced by Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, advocating for the reinforcement and expansion of military-to-military ties, safeguarding their respective national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and jointly safeguarding international and regional peace and stability, according to a communiqué from China's Defense Ministry.
Belousov also engaged in discussions a day earlier with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, who ranks below Zhang in China's military hierarchy.
Belousov's visit precedes an anticipated trip by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Kazan, Russia the subsequent week for a BRICS summit, an economic grouping that Russia and China regard as an alternative to the US-sponsored G7.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to confirm Xi's travel plans, but the Kremlin last month cited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as confirming the leader's attendance. This would be Xi's second visit to Russia after Putin's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the fifth encounter with Putin within the same timeframe.
Intense diplomatic interactions and heightened security coordination between China and Russia have garnered keen interest from the US and its allies, who have imputed Beijing's involvement in Russia's conflict through the supply of dual-use goods such as machine tools and microelectronics.
Arctic joint patrols
Beijing has defended its "routine trade" with Russia and maintains impartiality in the conflict. Last year, the two countries reached unprecedented trade levels as China served as a crucial economic lifeline for Russia, which is grappling with war-related international sanctions.
Recently, Chinese and Russian coast guards conducted their "first joint patrol in the Arctic Ocean," as reported by Chinese and Russian state media. Meanwhile, their navies independently practiced anti-submarine warfare in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, the reports added.
The patrol was a sequel to a series of joint exercises over the summer, including joint exercises near Alaska – where US and Canadian forces intercepted Russian and Chinese bombers together for the first time – and in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway over which geopolitical tensions are escalating rapidly.
Belousov's arrival in Beijing on Monday coincided with China's military conducting a "record number of fighter jets and other warplanes" around Taiwan during large-scale military drills.
China described the drills as a "stern warning" to what it referred to as pro-independence forces in Taiwan. The drills transpired just days after the island's new president, Lai Ching-te, pledged to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty in the face of challenges from Beijing, which claims the self-governing democracy as its own territory.
The strategic alliance between Russia and China is aimed at influencing the world's geopolitical landscape, as stated by Defense Chief Belousov during his visit to China.
Despite tensions with the West, China and Russia have strengthened their ties, conducting joint patrols in the Arctic Ocean and engaging in military exercises, underscoring their commitment to international peace and stability.
