Russian Security Council’s Secretary Sergey Shoygu and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday met in Beijing to discuss cooperation between their countries.
Later in the day, Shoygu is expected to hold meetings with other senior Chinese officials, the Russian Security Council’s press service said in a statement.
According to the statement, Shoygu’s one-day visit will focus on bilateral security, as well as international and regional issues.
The press service also released a video in which Shoygu thanked Wang for his hospitality and for organizing the meeting on short notice.
“I would like to emphasize that I arrived in hospitable China on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin following his telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 24,” Shoygu said.
He highlighted the alignment of Russia and China’s positions on key international and regional issues, noting their shared stance in the UN and its Security Council, the G20, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and other international organizations.
“We are grateful to China for supporting Russia’s BRICS presidency last year. For our part, we will assist our Chinese partners in their work,” he said.
Shoygu’s visit came as Russia and the US engaged in two rounds of talks aimed at improving relations.
Senior Russian officials are visiting the country’s “friendly” partners, reportedly to reassure them that Moscow will not shift its foreign policy focus even if ties with Washington normalize.