Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi begins 4-day Russia visit for security talks
Beijing says top diplomat’s second visit to Moscow since February is ‘routine activity’Meetings after talks with the White House national security adviser in Malta and ahead of a possible visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin next monthBelt and Road InitiativeLaura ZhouPublished: 6:00pm, 18 Sep, 2023Why you can trust SCMP
Beijing and Moscow were expected to step up their strategic coordination as China’s top diplomat Wang Yi kicked off a four-day visit to Russia for security talks ahead of a possible visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin next month.
China’s foreign ministry announced on Monday that Wang, the Chinese foreign minister and a Politburo member who heads the Communist Party’s foreign affairs office, will be in Russia until Thursday for the annual strategic security consultation meetings.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Wang’s visit to Russia was a “routine activity” under the strategic security consultation mechanism.
As close neighbours and comprehensive strategic partners, China and Russia “have maintained close communication on major strategic and global issues of common interest”, Mao said, adding that during Wang’s trip, the two sides would hold “in-depth communication on important topics related to the strategic security interests of the two countries”.
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