Chinese Defence Minister to visit Russia and Belarus in show of support despite West's objections

Asked about the visit, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin referred to the Defence Ministry statement, but added that Chinese and Russian leaders “have maintained strategic communication in different ways on various issues.”

Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu is visiting Russia and Belarus in a show of support for those nations which the West has sought to isolate over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr. Li departed Monday on the six-day trip, during which he will deliver an address at the Moscow Conference on International Security and meet with defence leaders from Russia and other nations, the Defence Ministry said on its social media account, citing spokesperson Col. Wu Qian.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to speak at the conference on the topic of the “Majority World countries' search for ways to development outside Western mechanisms, including strengthening multilateral associations of a new type,” Russia's official TASS news agency reported.

It said representatives from about 100 countries and eight international organizations had been invited to attend.

He would "discuss various aspects of security in the conditions of the establishment of a multipolar world order, ways to restore constructive international cooperation in the context of aggressive claims by Euro-Atlantic elites for world domination,” it said, quoting the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson as saying.

Asked about the visit, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin referred to the Defence Ministry statement, but added that Chinese and Russian leaders “have maintained strategic communication in different ways on various issues.”

“The two sides had orderly high-level exchanges of views on extensive topics including bilateral cooperation and issues of joint concern,” Mr. Wang told reporters at a daily briefing.