China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, will begin a four-day visit to Russia for security talks on Monday, his foreign ministry said, the latest in a series of high-level visits and phone calls between the two sides. China and Russia are strategic allies, with both countries frequently touting their “no limits” partnership and economic and military cooperation. China’s foreign ministry said in a statement Monday that Wang would hold strategic security consultations at the invitation of Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s security council. In an earlier briefing, the Russian foreign ministry said Wang would meet with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov, and the two planned to “focus on efforts to strengthen collaboration on the international scene”. Last month, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu visited Russia and Belarus and called for closer military cooperation.

Source: Punch September 18, 2023 23:31 UTC