Russia's Shoigu Meets China's Wang Yi: "Must Jointly Respond to US Containment Policy"

First High-Level China-Russia Meeting Since Trump's Election

On the 12th, Sergey Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, who visited Beijing, China, met and exchanged greetings with Wang Yi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Communist Party (also serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs). Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, met with Wang Yi, Director of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee (also serving as Foreign Minister), to discuss joint responses to the United States' containment policy. This was interpreted as the first high-level meeting between China and Russia since the election of former President Donald Trump, during which they extensively discussed cooperation strategies in response to the anticipated direction of the Trump administration's second term.

According to AFP on the 12th, Shoigu, who is visiting China, co-chaired the 19th annual China-Russia Strategic Security Negotiations with Director Wang in Beijing that day. At the meeting, Shoigu emphasized, "Responding to the 'dual containment' policy by the United States and its allies targeting Russia and China is the most urgent task for both countries," adding, "During the Cold War, China and Russia were not military or political allies, but the China-Russia relationship goes beyond this form of inter-state relations."

Director Wang responded, saying, "The more complex the international situation and the greater the external challenges, the more necessary it is for our two countries to unite and cooperate to safeguard our common interests," and added, "We are willing to work with Russia to pay close attention to changes in the international situation, maintain close communication and coordination, strengthen multilateral cooperation, sustain the high-level momentum of China-Russia relations, and jointly uphold global strategic stability."

Director Wang further evaluated, "Under the strong leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the 'new era strategic cooperative partnership' has withstood the test of international changes and maintained a healthy and stable development momentum."

The representatives of both countries emphasized that this year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations. The Chinese Foreign Ministry reported that both sides comprehensively discussed major strategic security issues of mutual interest, formed new consensus through in-depth exchanges of views, and strengthened strategic mutual trust.

Meanwhile, Shoigu, who will remain in China until the 15th, is scheduled to attend the 9th meeting of the China-Russia Law Enforcement Security Cooperation Mechanism with Tian Yuancheng, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Zhuhai Airshow) held in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province in southern China. He is also expected to attend the first overseas demonstration of Russia's 5th generation fighter jet, the Sukhoi (Su)-57.